diff --git a/src/cdk/a11y/live-announcer/live-announcer.spec.ts b/src/cdk/a11y/live-announcer/live-announcer.spec.ts
index 73c661027f2..b95707b071a 100644
--- a/src/cdk/a11y/live-announcer/live-announcer.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/a11y/live-announcer/live-announcer.spec.ts
@@ -60,6 +60,34 @@ describe('LiveAnnouncer', () => {
       expect(ariaLiveElement.getAttribute('aria-live')).toBe('polite');
     }));
 
+    it('should be able to clear out the aria-live element manually', fakeAsync(() => {
+      announcer.announce('Hey Google');
+      tick(100);
+      expect(ariaLiveElement.textContent).toBe('Hey Google');
+
+      announcer.clear();
+      expect(ariaLiveElement.textContent).toBeFalsy();
+    }));
+
+    it('should be able to clear out the aria-live element by setting a duration', fakeAsync(() => {
+      announcer.announce('Hey Google', 2000);
+      tick(100);
+      expect(ariaLiveElement.textContent).toBe('Hey Google');
+
+      tick(2000);
+      expect(ariaLiveElement.textContent).toBeFalsy();
+    }));
+
+    it('should clear the duration of previous messages when announcing a new one', fakeAsync(() => {
+      announcer.announce('Hey Google', 2000);
+      tick(100);
+      expect(ariaLiveElement.textContent).toBe('Hey Google');
+
+      announcer.announce('Hello there');
+      tick(2500);
+      expect(ariaLiveElement.textContent).toBe('Hello there');
+    }));
+
     it('should remove the aria-live element from the DOM on destroy', fakeAsync(() => {
       announcer.announce('Hey Google');
 
diff --git a/src/cdk/a11y/live-announcer/live-announcer.ts b/src/cdk/a11y/live-announcer/live-announcer.ts
index a8807f2de13..1ba8312ea0b 100644
--- a/src/cdk/a11y/live-announcer/live-announcer.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/a11y/live-announcer/live-announcer.ts
@@ -47,15 +47,55 @@ export class LiveAnnouncer implements OnDestroy {
 
   /**
    * Announces a message to screenreaders.
-   * @param message Message to be announced to the screenreader
-   * @param politeness The politeness of the announcer element
+   * @param message Message to be announced to the screenreader.
    * @returns Promise that will be resolved when the message is added to the DOM.
    */
-  announce(message: string, politeness: AriaLivePoliteness = 'polite'): Promise<void> {
-    this._liveElement.textContent = '';
+  announce(message: string): Promise<void>;
+
+  /**
+   * Announces a message to screenreaders.
+   * @param message Message to be announced to the screenreader.
+   * @param politeness The politeness of the announcer element.
+   * @returns Promise that will be resolved when the message is added to the DOM.
+   */
+  announce(message: string, politeness?: AriaLivePoliteness): Promise<void>;
+
+  /**
+   * Announces a message to screenreaders.
+   * @param message Message to be announced to the screenreader.
+   * @param duration Time in milliseconds after which to clear out the announcer element. Note
+   *   that this takes effect after the message has been added to the DOM, which can be up to
+   *   100ms after `announce` has been called.
+   * @returns Promise that will be resolved when the message is added to the DOM.
+   */
+  announce(message: string, duration?: number): Promise<void>;
+
+  /**
+   * Announces a message to screenreaders.
+   * @param message Message to be announced to the screenreader.
+   * @param politeness The politeness of the announcer element.
+   * @param duration Time in milliseconds after which to clear out the announcer element. Note
+   *   that this takes effect after the message has been added to the DOM, which can be up to
+   *   100ms after `announce` has been called.
+   * @returns Promise that will be resolved when the message is added to the DOM.
+   */
+  announce(message: string, politeness?: AriaLivePoliteness, duration?: number): Promise<void>;
+
+  announce(message: string, ...args: any[]): Promise<void> {
+    let politeness: AriaLivePoliteness;
+    let duration: number;
+
+    if (args.length === 1 && typeof args[0] === 'number') {
+      duration = args[0];
+    } else {
+      [politeness, duration] = args;
+    }
+
+    this.clear();
+    clearTimeout(this._previousTimeout);
 
     // TODO: ensure changing the politeness works on all environments we support.
-    this._liveElement.setAttribute('aria-live', politeness);
+    this._liveElement.setAttribute('aria-live', politeness! || 'polite');
 
     // This 100ms timeout is necessary for some browser + screen-reader combinations:
     // - Both JAWS and NVDA over IE11 will not announce anything without a non-zero timeout.
@@ -68,11 +108,26 @@ export class LiveAnnouncer implements OnDestroy {
         this._previousTimeout = setTimeout(() => {
           this._liveElement.textContent = message;
           resolve();
+
+          if (typeof duration === 'number') {
+            this._previousTimeout = setTimeout(() => this.clear(), duration);
+          }
         }, 100);
       });
     });
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Clears the current text from the announcer element. Can be used to prevent
+   * screen readers from reading the text out again while the user is going
+   * through the page landmarks.
+   */
+  clear() {
+    if (this._liveElement) {
+      this._liveElement.textContent = '';
+    }
+  }
+
   ngOnDestroy() {
     clearTimeout(this._previousTimeout);
 
diff --git a/src/lib/snack-bar/snack-bar.ts b/src/lib/snack-bar/snack-bar.ts
index 0492ce702ef..d2028d0dd1b 100644
--- a/src/lib/snack-bar/snack-bar.ts
+++ b/src/lib/snack-bar/snack-bar.ts
@@ -208,6 +208,10 @@ export class MatSnackBar implements OnDestroy {
       if (this._openedSnackBarRef == snackBarRef) {
         this._openedSnackBarRef = null;
       }
+
+      if (config.announcementMessage) {
+        this._live.clear();
+      }
     });
 
     if (this._openedSnackBarRef) {