diff --git a/sentry_sdk/api.py b/sentry_sdk/api.py
index 8cde8dc3ab..0f1cdfc741 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/api.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/api.py
@@ -67,11 +67,13 @@ def scopemethod(f):
 def capture_event(
     event,  # type: Event
     hint=None,  # type: Optional[Hint]
+    scope=None,  # type: Optional[Any]
+    **scope_args  # type: Dict[str, Any]
 ):
     # type: (...) -> Optional[str]
     hub = Hub.current
     if hub is not None:
-        return hub.capture_event(event, hint)
+        return hub.capture_event(event, hint, scope=scope, **scope_args)
     return None
 
 
@@ -79,22 +81,26 @@ def capture_event(
 def capture_message(
     message,  # type: str
     level=None,  # type: Optional[str]
+    scope=None,  # type: Optional[Any]
+    **scope_args  # type: Dict[str, Any]
 ):
     # type: (...) -> Optional[str]
     hub = Hub.current
     if hub is not None:
-        return hub.capture_message(message, level)
+        return hub.capture_message(message, level, scope=scope, **scope_args)
     return None
 
 
 @hubmethod
 def capture_exception(
     error=None,  # type: Optional[BaseException]
+    scope=None,  # type: Optional[Any]
+    **scope_args  # type: Dict[str, Any]
 ):
     # type: (...) -> Optional[str]
     hub = Hub.current
     if hub is not None:
-        return hub.capture_exception(error)
+        return hub.capture_exception(error, scope=scope, **scope_args)
     return None
 
 
diff --git a/sentry_sdk/hub.py b/sentry_sdk/hub.py
index 0849d468dc..9dadc2c8e2 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/hub.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/hub.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     from typing import Any
     from typing import Optional
     from typing import Tuple
+    from typing import Dict
     from typing import List
     from typing import Callable
     from typing import Generator
@@ -47,6 +48,24 @@ def overload(x):
 _local = ContextVar("sentry_current_hub")
 
 
+def _update_scope(base, scope_change, scope_kwargs):
+    # type: (Scope, Optional[Any], Dict[str, Any]) -> Scope
+    if scope_change and scope_kwargs:
+        raise TypeError("cannot provide scope and kwargs")
+    if scope_change is not None:
+        final_scope = copy.copy(base)
+        if callable(scope_change):
+            scope_change(final_scope)
+        else:
+            final_scope.update_from_scope(scope_change)
+    elif scope_kwargs:
+        final_scope = copy.copy(base)
+        final_scope.update_from_kwargs(scope_kwargs)
+    else:
+        final_scope = base
+    return final_scope
+
+
 def _should_send_default_pii():
     # type: () -> bool
     client = Hub.current.client
@@ -285,11 +304,14 @@ def capture_event(
         self,
         event,  # type: Event
         hint=None,  # type: Optional[Hint]
+        scope=None,  # type: Optional[Any]
+        **scope_args  # type: Dict[str, Any]
     ):
         # type: (...) -> Optional[str]
         """Captures an event. Alias of :py:meth:`sentry_sdk.Client.capture_event`.
         """
-        client, scope = self._stack[-1]
+        client, top_scope = self._stack[-1]
+        scope = _update_scope(top_scope, scope, scope_args)
         if client is not None:
             rv = client.capture_event(event, hint, scope)
             if rv is not None:
@@ -301,6 +323,8 @@ def capture_message(
         self,
         message,  # type: str
         level=None,  # type: Optional[str]
+        scope=None,  # type: Optional[Any]
+        **scope_args  # type: Dict[str, Any]
     ):
         # type: (...) -> Optional[str]
         """Captures a message.  The message is just a string.  If no level
@@ -312,10 +336,15 @@ def capture_message(
             return None
         if level is None:
             level = "info"
-        return self.capture_event({"message": message, "level": level})
+        return self.capture_event(
+            {"message": message, "level": level}, scope=scope, **scope_args
+        )
 
     def capture_exception(
-        self, error=None  # type: Optional[Union[BaseException, ExcInfo]]
+        self,
+        error=None,  # type: Optional[Union[BaseException, ExcInfo]]
+        scope=None,  # type: Optional[Any]
+        **scope_args  # type: Dict[str, Any]
     ):
         # type: (...) -> Optional[str]
         """Captures an exception.
@@ -334,7 +363,7 @@ def capture_exception(
 
         event, hint = event_from_exception(exc_info, client_options=client.options)
         try:
-            return self.capture_event(event, hint=hint)
+            return self.capture_event(event, hint=hint, scope=scope, **scope_args)
         except Exception:
             self._capture_internal_exception(sys.exc_info())
 
diff --git a/sentry_sdk/scope.py b/sentry_sdk/scope.py
index 1ea2f11b17..8b970351cd 100644
--- a/sentry_sdk/scope.py
+++ b/sentry_sdk/scope.py
@@ -323,6 +323,50 @@ def _drop(event, cause, ty):
 
         return event
 
+    def update_from_scope(self, scope):
+        # type: (Scope) -> None
+        if scope._level is not None:
+            self._level = scope._level
+        if scope._fingerprint is not None:
+            self._fingerprint = scope._fingerprint
+        if scope._transaction is not None:
+            self._transaction = scope._transaction
+        if scope._user is not None:
+            self._user = scope._user
+        if scope._tags:
+            self._tags.update(scope._tags)
+        if scope._contexts:
+            self._contexts.update(scope._contexts)
+        if scope._extras:
+            self._extras.update(scope._extras)
+        if scope._breadcrumbs:
+            self._breadcrumbs.extend(scope._breadcrumbs)
+        if scope._span:
+            self._span = scope._span
+
+    def update_from_kwargs(
+        self,
+        user=None,  # type: Optional[Any]
+        level=None,  # type: Optional[str]
+        extras=None,  # type: Optional[Dict[str, Any]]
+        contexts=None,  # type: Optional[Dict[str, Any]]
+        tags=None,  # type: Optional[Dict[str, str]]
+        fingerprint=None,  # type: Optional[List[str]]
+    ):
+        # type: (...) -> None
+        if level is not None:
+            self._level = level
+        if user is not None:
+            self._user = user
+        if extras is not None:
+            self._extras.update(extras)
+        if contexts is not None:
+            self._contexts.update(contexts)
+        if tags is not None:
+            self._tags.update(tags)
+        if fingerprint is not None:
+            self._fingerprint = fingerprint
+
     def __copy__(self):
         # type: () -> Scope
         rv = object.__new__(self.__class__)  # type: Scope
diff --git a/tests/test_scope.py b/tests/test_scope.py
index b9c3335116..0e73584985 100644
--- a/tests/test_scope.py
+++ b/tests/test_scope.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import copy
+from sentry_sdk import capture_exception
 from sentry_sdk.scope import Scope
 
 
@@ -15,3 +16,49 @@ def test_copying():
     assert "bam" not in s2._tags
 
     assert s1._fingerprint is s2._fingerprint
+
+
+def test_merging(sentry_init, capture_events):
+    sentry_init()
+
+    s = Scope()
+    s.set_user({"id": 42})
+
+    events = capture_events()
+
+    capture_exception(NameError(), scope=s)
+
+    (event,) = events
+    assert event["user"] == {"id": 42}
+
+
+def test_common_args():
+    s = Scope()
+    s.update_from_kwargs(
+        user={"id": 23},
+        level="warning",
+        extras={"k": "v"},
+        contexts={"os": {"name": "Blafasel"}},
+        tags={"x": "y"},
+        fingerprint=["foo"],
+    )
+
+    s2 = Scope()
+    s2.set_extra("foo", "bar")
+    s2.set_tag("a", "b")
+    s2.set_context("device", {"a": "b"})
+    s2.update_from_scope(s)
+
+    assert s._user == {"id": 23}
+    assert s._level == "warning"
+    assert s._extras == {"k": "v"}
+    assert s._contexts == {"os": {"name": "Blafasel"}}
+    assert s._tags == {"x": "y"}
+    assert s._fingerprint == ["foo"]
+
+    assert s._user == s2._user
+    assert s._level == s2._level
+    assert s._fingerprint == s2._fingerprint
+    assert s2._extras == {"k": "v", "foo": "bar"}
+    assert s2._tags == {"a": "b", "x": "y"}
+    assert s2._contexts == {"os": {"name": "Blafasel"}, "device": {"a": "b"}}