diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a0a71c4..92dfb20 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ type host struct {
 }
 ```
 
+These tags affect text table output only. JSON and YAML output encode the original structs.
+
 ### Annotations
 
 Insert comments or context between rows:
diff --git a/table_test.go b/table_test.go
index 2b0126b..8467a67 100644
--- a/table_test.go
+++ b/table_test.go
@@ -366,6 +366,55 @@ func TestOmitEmptyColumns(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestSkipField(t *testing.T) {
+	type record struct {
+		Name   string
+		Secret string `table:"-"`
+	}
+
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+
+	tbl := New(WithWriter(&buf))
+	tbl.Write(record{Name: "text-visible", Secret: "hidden"})
+	_ = tbl.Flush()
+
+	output := buf.String()
+	if strings.Contains(output, "SECRET") || strings.Contains(output, "hidden") {
+		t.Errorf("expected skipped field to be omitted, got: %q", output)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSkipFieldDoesNotAffectStructuredOutput(t *testing.T) {
+	type record struct {
+		Name   string
+		Secret string `table:"-"`
+	}
+
+	t.Run("JSON", func(t *testing.T) {
+		var buf bytes.Buffer
+
+		tbl := NewJSON(WithWriter(&buf))
+		tbl.Write(record{Name: "json-visible", Secret: "included"})
+		_ = tbl.Flush()
+
+		if output := buf.String(); !strings.Contains(output, `"Secret": "included"`) {
+			t.Errorf("expected skipped field in JSON output, got: %q", output)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("YAML", func(t *testing.T) {
+		var buf bytes.Buffer
+
+		tbl := NewYAML(WithWriter(&buf))
+		tbl.Write(record{Name: "yaml-visible", Secret: "included"})
+		_ = tbl.Flush()
+
+		if output := buf.String(); !strings.Contains(output, "secret: included") {
+			t.Errorf("expected skipped field in YAML output, got: %q", output)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
 func TestWrapperInterface(t *testing.T) {
 	type status string
 
diff --git a/text.go b/text.go
index 34149d2..9420085 100644
--- a/text.go
+++ b/text.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ type columnInfo struct {
 	Width     int
 	OmitEmpty bool
 	IsZero    bool
+	Skip      bool
 }
 
 type wrapper interface {
@@ -112,7 +113,7 @@ func (t *Table) flush(info []columnInfo, rows [][]cell, annotations []annotation
 		}
 
 		for j := range rows[i] {
-			if info[j].IsZero { // skip empty columns TODO: make this configurable
+			if !info[j].visible() { // skip empty columns TODO: make this configurable
 				continue
 			}
 
@@ -141,7 +142,7 @@ func (t *Table) flush(info []columnInfo, rows [][]cell, annotations []annotation
 			}
 
 			// Skip padding for the last column
-			if j == len(rows[i])-1 {
+			if j == lastVisibleColumn(info) {
 				fmt.Fprint(t.writer, sgr.Wrap(rowColor, text))
 			} else {
 				fmt.Fprint(t.writer, sgr.Wrap(rowColor, text, padding), " ")
@@ -174,6 +175,14 @@ func (t *Table) flushHeader(info []columnInfo, rows [][]cell) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	for j := range info {
+		if info[j].OmitEmpty && isColumnZero(j, rows) {
+			info[j].IsZero = true
+		}
+	}
+
+	lastColumn := lastVisibleColumn(info)
+
 	for i := range numLines {
 		if i > 0 {
 			fmt.Fprintln(t.writer)
@@ -182,9 +191,7 @@ func (t *Table) flushHeader(info []columnInfo, rows [][]cell) {
 		for j := range info { // header
 			var label string
 
-			if info[j].OmitEmpty && isColumnZero(j, rows) {
-				info[j].IsZero = true
-
+			if !info[j].visible() {
 				continue
 			}
 
@@ -194,7 +201,7 @@ func (t *Table) flushHeader(info []columnInfo, rows [][]cell) {
 
 			fmt.Fprint(t.writer, sgr.Wrapf(t.colors.Header, "%-*s", info[j].Width, label))
 
-			if j != len(info)-1 {
+			if j != lastColumn {
 				fmt.Fprint(t.writer, " ")
 			}
 		}
@@ -203,6 +210,20 @@ func (t *Table) flushHeader(info []columnInfo, rows [][]cell) {
 	fmt.Fprintln(t.writer)
 }
 
+func lastVisibleColumn(info []columnInfo) int {
+	for i := len(info) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
+		if info[i].visible() {
+			return i
+		}
+	}
+
+	return -1
+}
+
+func (c columnInfo) visible() bool {
+	return !c.IsZero && !c.Skip
+}
+
 func (t *Table) annotationsFor(start, end int, includeStart bool) []annotation {
 	var annotations []annotation
 
@@ -236,6 +257,12 @@ func (t *Table) processHeader(header reflect.Type) []columnInfo {
 			// Parse tag: "LABEL,omitempty" -> label="LABEL", omitEmpty=true
 			label, options, _ := strings.Cut(tag, ",")
 
+			if label == "-" {
+				columns[i].Skip = true
+
+				continue
+			}
+
 			if label != "" {
 				labels := strings.Split(label, "\n")
 				if labels[0] == "" { // use the default label if empty