diff --git a/disagreement/__init__.py b/disagreement/__init__.py
index bfd7d3b..b6252c1 100644
--- a/disagreement/__init__.py
+++ b/disagreement/__init__.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ from .errors import (
     NotFound,
 )
 from .color import Color
-from .utils import utcnow, message_pager
+from .utils import escape_markdown, escape_mentions, message_pager, utcnow
 from .enums import (
     GatewayIntent,
     GatewayOpcode,
@@ -150,6 +150,8 @@ __all__ = [
     "NotFound",
     "Color",
     "utcnow",
+    "escape_markdown",
+    "escape_mentions",
     "message_pager",
     "GatewayIntent",
     "GatewayOpcode",
diff --git a/disagreement/utils.py b/disagreement/utils.py
index c9a5fe3..ab167e0 100644
--- a/disagreement/utils.py
+++ b/disagreement/utils.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from typing import Any, AsyncIterator, Dict, Optional, TYPE_CHECKING
+import re
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:  # pragma: no cover - for type hinting only
     from .models import Message, TextChannel
@@ -110,3 +111,39 @@ class Paginator:
         if self._current:
             pages.append(self._current)
         return pages
+
+
+def escape_markdown(text: str) -> str:
+    """Escape Discord markdown formatting in ``text``.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    text:
+        The text to escape.
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    str
+        The escaped text with Discord formatting characters preceded by a
+        backslash.
+    """
+
+    return re.sub(r"([\\*_~`>|])", r"\\\1", text)
+
+
+def escape_mentions(text: str) -> str:
+    """Escape Discord mentions in ``text``.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    text:
+        The text in which to escape mentions.
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    str
+        The text with ``@`` characters replaced by ``@\u200b`` to prevent
+        unintended mentions.
+    """
+
+    return text.replace("@", "@\u200b")
diff --git a/tests/test_utils.py b/tests/test_utils.py
index cac52d4..4022506 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -1,8 +1,23 @@
 from datetime import timezone
 
-from disagreement.utils import utcnow
+from disagreement.utils import escape_markdown, escape_mentions, utcnow
 
 
 def test_utcnow_timezone():
     now = utcnow()
     assert now.tzinfo == timezone.utc
+
+
+def test_escape_markdown():
+    text = "**bold** _under_ ~strike~ `code` > quote | pipe"
+    escaped = escape_markdown(text)
+    assert (
+        escaped
+        == "\\*\\*bold\\*\\* \\_under\\_ \\~strike\\~ \\`code\\` \\> quote \\| pipe"
+    )
+
+
+def test_escape_mentions():
+    text = "Hello @everyone and <@123>!"
+    escaped = escape_mentions(text)
+    assert escaped == "Hello @\u200beveryone and <@\u200b123>!"