diff --git a/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple-renderer.ts b/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple-renderer.ts
index 9a42d14f1e56..1a70627f748a 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple-renderer.ts
+++ b/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple-renderer.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ export type RippleConfig = {
   radius?: number;
   persistent?: boolean;
   animation?: RippleAnimationConfig;
+  terminateOnPointerUp?: boolean;
   /** @deprecated Use the animation property instead. */
   speedFactor?: number;
 };
@@ -244,9 +245,14 @@ export class RippleRenderer {
 
     this._isPointerDown = false;
 
-    // Fade-out all ripples that are completely visible and not persistent.
+    // Fade-out all ripples that are visible and not persistent.
     this._activeRipples.forEach(ripple => {
-      if (!ripple.config.persistent && ripple.state === RippleState.VISIBLE) {
+      // By default, only ripples that are completely visible will fade out on pointer release.
+      // If the `terminateOnPointerUp` option is set, ripples that still fade in will also fade out.
+      const isVisible = ripple.state === RippleState.VISIBLE ||
+        ripple.config.terminateOnPointerUp && ripple.state === RippleState.FADING_IN;
+
+      if (!ripple.config.persistent && isVisible) {
         ripple.fadeOut();
       }
     });
diff --git a/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple.spec.ts b/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple.spec.ts
index 5f2734da3661..618796bd8745 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple.spec.ts
@@ -500,6 +500,27 @@ describe('MatRipple', () => {
 
       expect(rippleTarget.querySelectorAll('.mat-ripple-element').length).toBe(0);
     }));
+
+    it('should allow ripples to fade out immediately on pointer up', fakeAsync(() => {
+      createTestComponent({
+        terminateOnPointerUp: true
+      });
+
+      dispatchMouseEvent(rippleTarget, 'mousedown');
+      dispatchMouseEvent(rippleTarget, 'mouseup');
+
+      expect(rippleTarget.querySelectorAll('.mat-ripple-element').length).toBe(1);
+
+      // Ignore the enter duration, because we immediately fired the mouseup after the mousedown.
+      // This means that the ripple should just fade out, and there shouldn't be an enter animation.
+      tick(exitDuration);
+
+      expect(rippleTarget.querySelectorAll('.mat-ripple-element').length).toBe(0);
+
+      // Since the enter duration is bigger than the exit duration, the enter duration timer
+      // will still exist. To properly finish all timers, we just wait the remaining time.
+      tick(enterDuration - exitDuration);
+    }));
   });
 
   describe('configuring behavior', () => {
diff --git a/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple.ts b/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple.ts
index 52c2d693f0fa..f229d53e4835 100644
--- a/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple.ts
+++ b/src/lib/core/ripple/ripple.ts
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@ export interface RippleGlobalOptions {
    * @deprecated Use the `animation` global option instead.
    */
   baseSpeedFactor?: number;
+
+  /**
+   * Whether ripples should start fading out immediately after the mouse our touch is released. By
+   * default, ripples will wait for the enter animation to complete and for mouse or touch release.
+   */
+  terminateOnPointerUp?: boolean;
 }
 
 /** Injection token that can be used to specify the global ripple options. */
@@ -159,6 +165,7 @@ export class MatRipple implements OnInit, OnDestroy, RippleTarget {
       radius: this.radius,
       color: this.color,
       animation: {...this._globalOptions.animation, ...this.animation},
+      terminateOnPointerUp: this._globalOptions.terminateOnPointerUp,
       speedFactor: this.speedFactor * (this._globalOptions.baseSpeedFactor || 1),
     };
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.ts b/src/lib/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.ts
index 534a5a3f1ad5..4838eb9e5b31 100644
--- a/src/lib/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.ts
+++ b/src/lib/tabs/tab-nav-bar/tab-nav-bar.ts
@@ -240,6 +240,7 @@ export class MatTabLink extends _MatTabLinkMixinBase
 
     if (globalOptions) {
       this.rippleConfig = {
+        terminateOnPointerUp: globalOptions.terminateOnPointerUp,
         speedFactor: globalOptions.baseSpeedFactor,
         animation: globalOptions.animation,
       };