diff --git a/numpydoc/cli.py b/numpydoc/cli.py
index ef8cff2c..37a9ab6b 100644
--- a/numpydoc/cli.py
+++ b/numpydoc/cli.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import argparse
 import ast
+import re
 from collections.abc import Sequence
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import List, Union
@@ -100,8 +101,6 @@ def _parse_config(s):
     )
     lint_parser.add_argument(
         "--ignore",
-        type=str,
-        nargs="*",
         help=(
             f"""Check codes to ignore.{
                 ' Currently ignoring the following from '
@@ -110,6 +109,7 @@ def _parse_config(s):
                 if ignored_checks else ''
             }"""
         ),
+        action="append",
     )
     lint_parser.set_defaults(func=validate_docstrings.run_hook)
 
@@ -122,6 +122,13 @@ def main(argv: Union[Sequence[str], None] = None) -> int:
 
     args = vars(ap.parse_args(argv))
 
+    # Parse --ignored=SA01,EX01
+    ignored_checks = []
+    if args.get("ignore", None) is not None:
+        for checks in args["ignore"]:
+            ignored_checks += re.split("\\W+", checks)
+        args["ignore"] = ignored_checks
+
     try:
         func = args.pop("func")
         return func(**args)
diff --git a/numpydoc/tests/test_main.py b/numpydoc/tests/test_main.py
index 12c06840..f42e3964 100644
--- a/numpydoc/tests/test_main.py
+++ b/numpydoc/tests/test_main.py
@@ -117,7 +117,10 @@ def test_validate_perfect_docstring():
     assert exit_status == 0
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize("args", [[], ["--ignore", "ES01", "SA01", "EX01"]])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "args",
+    [[], ["--ignore", "ES01,SA01,EX01"], ["--ignore", "ES01", "--ignore", "SA01 EX01"]],
+)
 def test_lint(capsys, args):
     argv = ["lint", "numpydoc/__main__.py"] + args
     if args: