diff --git a/spacy/cli/train.py b/spacy/cli/train.py
index 6538994c0..0073ba9f0 100644
--- a/spacy/cli/train.py
+++ b/spacy/cli/train.py
@@ -156,8 +156,7 @@ def train(
                 "`lang` argument ('{}') ".format(nlp.lang, lang),
                 exits=1,
             )
-        other_pipes = [pipe for pipe in nlp.pipe_names if pipe not in pipeline]
-        nlp.disable_pipes(*other_pipes)
+        nlp.disable_pipes([p for p in nlp.pipe_names if p not in pipeline])
         for pipe in pipeline:
             if pipe not in nlp.pipe_names:
                 if pipe == "parser":
diff --git a/spacy/language.py b/spacy/language.py
index 330852741..5f0e632ae 100644
--- a/spacy/language.py
+++ b/spacy/language.py
@@ -448,6 +448,8 @@ class Language(object):
 
         DOCS: https://spacy.io/api/language#disable_pipes
         """
+        if len(names) == 1 and isinstance(names[0], (list, tuple)):
+            names = names[0]  # support list of names instead of spread
         return DisabledPipes(self, *names)
 
     def make_doc(self, text):
diff --git a/spacy/pipeline/entityruler.py b/spacy/pipeline/entityruler.py
index 9078f387e..882e87547 100644
--- a/spacy/pipeline/entityruler.py
+++ b/spacy/pipeline/entityruler.py
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ class EntityRuler(object):
             ]
         except ValueError:
             subsequent_pipes = []
-        with self.nlp.disable_pipes(*subsequent_pipes):
+        with self.nlp.disable_pipes(subsequent_pipes):
             for entry in patterns:
                 label = entry["label"]
                 if "id" in entry:
diff --git a/spacy/tests/pipeline/test_pipe_methods.py b/spacy/tests/pipeline/test_pipe_methods.py
index 5f1fa5cfe..27fb57b18 100644
--- a/spacy/tests/pipeline/test_pipe_methods.py
+++ b/spacy/tests/pipeline/test_pipe_methods.py
@@ -105,6 +105,16 @@ def test_disable_pipes_context(nlp, name):
     assert nlp.has_pipe(name)
 
 
+def test_disable_pipes_list_arg(nlp):
+    for name in ["c1", "c2", "c3"]:
+        nlp.add_pipe(new_pipe, name=name)
+        assert nlp.has_pipe(name)
+    with nlp.disable_pipes(["c1", "c2"]):
+        assert not nlp.has_pipe("c1")
+        assert not nlp.has_pipe("c2")
+        assert nlp.has_pipe("c3")
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("n_pipes", [100])
 def test_add_lots_of_pipes(nlp, n_pipes):
     for i in range(n_pipes):
diff --git a/spacy/tests/regression/test_issue3611.py b/spacy/tests/regression/test_issue3611.py
index c0ee83e1b..3c4836264 100644
--- a/spacy/tests/regression/test_issue3611.py
+++ b/spacy/tests/regression/test_issue3611.py
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@ def test_issue3611():
     nlp.add_pipe(textcat, last=True)
 
     # training the network
-    other_pipes = [pipe for pipe in nlp.pipe_names if pipe != "textcat"]
-    with nlp.disable_pipes(*other_pipes):
+    with nlp.disable_pipes([p for p in nlp.pipe_names if p != "textcat"]):
         optimizer = nlp.begin_training()
         for i in range(3):
             losses = {}
diff --git a/spacy/tests/regression/test_issue4030.py b/spacy/tests/regression/test_issue4030.py
index c331fa1d2..ed219573f 100644
--- a/spacy/tests/regression/test_issue4030.py
+++ b/spacy/tests/regression/test_issue4030.py
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@ def test_issue4030():
     nlp.add_pipe(textcat, last=True)
 
     # training the network
-    other_pipes = [pipe for pipe in nlp.pipe_names if pipe != "textcat"]
-    with nlp.disable_pipes(*other_pipes):
+    with nlp.disable_pipes([p for p in nlp.pipe_names if p != "textcat"]):
         optimizer = nlp.begin_training()
         for i in range(3):
             losses = {}
diff --git a/website/docs/api/language.md b/website/docs/api/language.md
index c44339ff5..6e7f6be3e 100644
--- a/website/docs/api/language.md
+++ b/website/docs/api/language.md
@@ -323,18 +323,38 @@ you can use to undo your changes.
 > #### Example
 >
 > ```python
-> with nlp.disable_pipes('tagger', 'parser'):
+> # New API as of v2.2.2
+> with nlp.disable_pipes(["tagger", "parser"]):
+>    nlp.begin_training()
+>
+> with nlp.disable_pipes("tagger", "parser"):
 >     nlp.begin_training()
 >
-> disabled = nlp.disable_pipes('tagger', 'parser')
+> disabled = nlp.disable_pipes("tagger", "parser")
 > nlp.begin_training()
 > disabled.restore()
 > ```
 
-| Name        | Type            | Description                                                                          |
-| ----------- | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
-| `*disabled` | unicode         | Names of pipeline components to disable.                                             |
-| **RETURNS** | `DisabledPipes` | The disabled pipes that can be restored by calling the object's `.restore()` method. |
+| Name                                      | Type            | Description                                                                          |
+| ----------------------------------------- | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
+| `disabled` <Tag variant="new">2.2.2</Tag> | list            | Names of pipeline components to disable.                                             |
+| `*disabled`                               | unicode         | Names of pipeline components to disable.                                             |
+| **RETURNS**                               | `DisabledPipes` | The disabled pipes that can be restored by calling the object's `.restore()` method. |
+
+<Infobox title="Changed in v2.2.2" variant="warning">
+
+As of spaCy v2.2.2, the `Language.disable_pipes` method can also take a list of
+component names as its first argument (instead of a variable number of
+arguments). This is especially useful if you're generating the component names
+to disable programmatically. The new syntax will become the default in the
+future.
+
+```diff
+- disabled = nlp.disable_pipes("tagger", "parser")
++ disabled = nlp.disable_pipes(["tagger", "parser"])
+```
+
+</Infobox>
 
 ## Language.to_disk {#to_disk tag="method" new="2"}