diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a86dc38..87f663c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -46,6 +46,57 @@ Install this via pip (or your favourite package manager):
 
 `pip install aiousbwatcher`
 
+## Usage
+
+```python
+import asyncio
+
+from aiousbwatcher import AIOUSBWatcher, InotifyNotAvailableError
+
+
+async def main() -> None:
+    def _callback() -> None:
+        # A USB device was plugged in or unplugged; rescan as needed.
+        print("USB devices changed")
+
+    watcher = AIOUSBWatcher()
+    unregister = watcher.async_register_callback(_callback)
+
+    try:
+        stop = watcher.async_start()
+    except InotifyNotAvailableError:
+        # inotify is only available on Linux.
+        return
+
+    # ... run your application ...
+    await asyncio.sleep(60)
+
+    unregister()
+    stop()
+
+
+asyncio.run(main())
+```
+
+`async_register_callback` returns a callable that unregisters that callback, and
+`async_start` returns a callable that stops the watcher. Callbacks take no
+arguments — they signal _that_ something changed, not _what_; rescan your
+devices to find the details.
+
+### Debouncing event bursts
+
+Plugging in a single USB device churns `/dev/bus/usb` with several events, so a
+naive callback fires multiple times per physical change. If your callback does
+expensive work (such as a full device rescan), pass `debounce` to coalesce a
+burst into a single invocation that fires once events have been quiet for the
+given number of seconds:
+
+```python
+watcher = AIOUSBWatcher(debounce=0.5)
+```
+
+With `debounce=None` (the default) every event fires the callbacks immediately.
+
 ## Contributors ✨
 
 Thanks goes to these wonderful people ([emoji key](https://allcontributors.org/docs/en/emoji-key)):
diff --git a/src/aiousbwatcher/impl.py b/src/aiousbwatcher/impl.py
index 6571bfa..6267fea 100644
--- a/src/aiousbwatcher/impl.py
+++ b/src/aiousbwatcher/impl.py
@@ -39,11 +39,23 @@ async def _async_get_directories_recursive(
 class AIOUSBWatcher:
     """A watcher for USB devices that uses asyncio."""
 
-    def __init__(self) -> None:
+    def __init__(self, debounce: float | None = None) -> None:
+        """
+        Initialize the watcher.
+
+        ``debounce``, when set to a number of seconds, coalesces a burst of
+        filesystem events into a single callback invocation that fires once the
+        events have been quiet for that long. Plugging in a single USB device
+        churns ``/dev/bus/usb`` with several events, so consumers that perform
+        an expensive rescan per callback can use this to rescan only once.
+        When ``None`` (the default) every event fires the callbacks immediately.
+        """
         self._path = Path(_PATH)
         self._loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()
         self._task: asyncio.Task[None] | None = None
         self._callbacks: set[Callable[[], None]] = set()
+        self._debounce = debounce
+        self._debounce_handle: asyncio.TimerHandle | None = None
 
     def async_start(self) -> Callable[[], None]:
         """Start the watcher."""
@@ -68,6 +80,10 @@ def _async_stop(self) -> None:
         assert self._task is not None  # noqa
         self._task.cancel()
         self._task = None
+        if self._debounce_handle is not None:
+            # Drop any pending coalesced callback so it cannot fire after stop.
+            self._debounce_handle.cancel()
+            self._debounce_handle = None
 
     async def _watcher(self) -> None:
         mask = (
@@ -102,6 +118,19 @@ def _async_unregister_callback(self, callback: Callable[[], None]) -> None:
         self._callbacks.remove(callback)
 
     def _async_call_callbacks(self) -> None:
+        if self._debounce is None:
+            self._async_fire_callbacks()
+            return
+        # Coalesce a burst of events: (re)arm a single timer so the callbacks
+        # fire once the events have been quiet for ``self._debounce`` seconds.
+        if self._debounce_handle is not None:
+            self._debounce_handle.cancel()
+        self._debounce_handle = self._loop.call_later(
+            self._debounce, self._async_fire_callbacks
+        )
+
+    def _async_fire_callbacks(self) -> None:
+        self._debounce_handle = None
         for callback in self._callbacks:
             try:
                 callback()
diff --git a/tests/test_impl.py b/tests/test_impl.py
index 8a0bc6c..d1eb55b 100644
--- a/tests/test_impl.py
+++ b/tests/test_impl.py
@@ -138,3 +138,63 @@ def callback() -> None:
         stop()
         await asyncio.sleep(_INOTIFY_WAIT_TIME)
         assert not called
+
+
+_DEBOUNCE_TIME = 0.5
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+@pytest.mark.skipif(
+    platform != "linux", reason="Inotify not available on this platform"
+)
+async def test_aiousbwatcher_debounce_coalesces_bursts(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    count: int = 0
+
+    def callback() -> None:
+        nonlocal count
+        count += 1
+
+    with patch("aiousbwatcher.impl._PATH", str(tmp_path)):
+        watcher = AIOUSBWatcher(debounce=_DEBOUNCE_TIME)
+        unregister = watcher.async_register_callback(callback)
+        stop = watcher.async_start()
+        await asyncio.sleep(_INOTIFY_WAIT_TIME)
+        assert count == 0
+        # A burst of events within the debounce window must not fire yet.
+        for i in range(3):
+            (tmp_path / f"test{i}").touch()
+        await asyncio.sleep(_INOTIFY_WAIT_TIME)
+        assert count == 0
+        # Once the events go quiet for the debounce window, fire exactly once.
+        await asyncio.sleep(_DEBOUNCE_TIME)
+        assert count == 1
+        unregister()
+        stop()
+        await asyncio.sleep(_DEBOUNCE_TIME + _INOTIFY_WAIT_TIME)
+        assert count == 1
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+@pytest.mark.skipif(
+    platform != "linux", reason="Inotify not available on this platform"
+)
+async def test_aiousbwatcher_debounce_cancelled_on_stop(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    count: int = 0
+
+    def callback() -> None:
+        nonlocal count
+        count += 1
+
+    with patch("aiousbwatcher.impl._PATH", str(tmp_path)):
+        watcher = AIOUSBWatcher(debounce=_DEBOUNCE_TIME)
+        unregister = watcher.async_register_callback(callback)
+        stop = watcher.async_start()
+        await asyncio.sleep(_INOTIFY_WAIT_TIME)
+        (tmp_path / "test").touch()
+        await asyncio.sleep(_INOTIFY_WAIT_TIME)
+        # Stopping while a debounced callback is still pending must drop it.
+        assert count == 0
+        unregister()
+        stop()
+        await asyncio.sleep(_DEBOUNCE_TIME + _INOTIFY_WAIT_TIME)
+        assert count == 0