diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a32220a0..dc0246a6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -592,11 +592,20 @@ response.data.pipe(fs.createWriteStream('ada_lovelace.jpg'));
 
 ##### axios(url[, config])
 
+`url` accepts either a string or a [`URL`](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/URL) instance. The `URL` is coerced to a string before the request is dispatched.
+
 ```js
 // Send a GET request (default method)
 axios('/user/12345');
 ```
 
+```js
+// `url` may also be a URL object
+axios.get(new URL('https://api.example.com/foo'), {
+  params: { a: 1 },
+});
+```
+
 ### Request method aliases
 
 For convenience, aliases have been provided for all common request methods.
diff --git a/index.d.cts b/index.d.cts
index 916b9958..b4480f44 100644
--- a/index.d.cts
+++ b/index.d.cts
@@ -176,53 +176,53 @@ declare class Axios {
     config: axios.AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   get<T = any, R = axios.AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     config?: axios.AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   delete<T = any, R = axios.AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     config?: axios.AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   head<T = any, R = axios.AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     config?: axios.AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   options<T = any, R = axios.AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     config?: axios.AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   post<T = any, R = axios.AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     data?: D,
     config?: axios.AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   put<T = any, R = axios.AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     data?: D,
     config?: axios.AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   patch<T = any, R = axios.AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     data?: D,
     config?: axios.AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   postForm<T = any, R = axios.AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     data?: D,
     config?: axios.AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   putForm<T = any, R = axios.AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     data?: D,
     config?: axios.AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   patchForm<T = any, R = axios.AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     data?: D,
     config?: axios.AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   query<T = any, R = axios.AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     data?: D,
     config?: axios.AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ declare namespace axios {
   type LookupAddress = string | LookupAddressEntry;
 
   interface AxiosRequestConfig<D = any> {
-    url?: string;
+    url?: string | URL;
     method?: Method | string;
     baseURL?: string;
     allowAbsoluteUrls?: boolean;
@@ -661,7 +661,7 @@ declare namespace axios {
   interface AxiosInstance extends Axios {
     <T = any, R = AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(config: AxiosRequestConfig<D>): Promise<R>;
     <T = any, R = AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-      url: string,
+      url: string | URL,
       config?: AxiosRequestConfig<D>
     ): Promise<R>;
 
diff --git a/index.d.ts b/index.d.ts
index e25555fa..6ae23e79 100644
--- a/index.d.ts
+++ b/index.d.ts
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ export interface LookupAddressEntry {
 export type LookupAddress = string | LookupAddressEntry;
 
 export interface AxiosRequestConfig<D = any> {
-  url?: string;
+  url?: string | URL;
   method?: StringLiteralsOrString<Method>;
   baseURL?: string;
   allowAbsoluteUrls?: boolean;
@@ -609,53 +609,53 @@ export class Axios {
   getUri(config?: AxiosRequestConfig): string;
   request<T = any, R = AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(config: AxiosRequestConfig<D>): Promise<R>;
   get<T = any, R = AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     config?: AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   delete<T = any, R = AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     config?: AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   head<T = any, R = AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     config?: AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   options<T = any, R = AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     config?: AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   post<T = any, R = AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     data?: D,
     config?: AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   put<T = any, R = AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     data?: D,
     config?: AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   patch<T = any, R = AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     data?: D,
     config?: AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   postForm<T = any, R = AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     data?: D,
     config?: AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   putForm<T = any, R = AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     data?: D,
     config?: AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   patchForm<T = any, R = AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     data?: D,
     config?: AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
   query<T = any, R = AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(
-    url: string,
+    url: string | URL,
     data?: D,
     config?: AxiosRequestConfig<D>
   ): Promise<R>;
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ export class Axios {
 
 export interface AxiosInstance extends Axios {
   <T = any, R = AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(config: AxiosRequestConfig<D>): Promise<R>;
-  <T = any, R = AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(url: string, config?: AxiosRequestConfig<D>): Promise<R>;
+  <T = any, R = AxiosResponse<T>, D = any>(url: string | URL, config?: AxiosRequestConfig<D>): Promise<R>;
 
   create(config?: CreateAxiosDefaults): AxiosInstance;
   defaults: Omit<AxiosDefaults, 'headers'> & {
diff --git a/lib/core/Axios.js b/lib/core/Axios.js
index 903249a8..39d8d913 100644
--- a/lib/core/Axios.js
+++ b/lib/core/Axios.js
@@ -12,6 +12,19 @@ import transitionalDefaults from '../defaults/transitional.js';
 
 const validators = validator.validators;
 
+const { toString } = Object.prototype;
+
+const isURL = (url) => {
+  if (url === null || typeof url !== 'object') {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  const prototype = Object.getPrototypeOf(url);
+  return prototype !== null && prototype !== Object.prototype && toString.call(url) === '[object URL]';
+};
+
+const normalizeURL = (url) => (isURL(url) ? url.toString() : url);
+
 /**
  * Create a new instance of Axios
  *
@@ -31,7 +44,7 @@ class Axios {
   /**
    * Dispatch a request
    *
-   * @param {String|Object} configOrUrl The config specific for this request (merged with this.defaults)
+   * @param {String|URL|Object} configOrUrl The config specific for this request (merged with this.defaults)
    * @param {?Object} config
    *
    * @returns {Promise} The Promise to be fulfilled
@@ -82,13 +95,19 @@ class Axios {
   _request(configOrUrl, config) {
     /*eslint no-param-reassign:0*/
     // Allow for axios('example/url'[, config]) a la fetch API
-    if (typeof configOrUrl === 'string') {
+    if (typeof configOrUrl === 'string' || isURL(configOrUrl)) {
       config = config || {};
-      config.url = configOrUrl;
+      config.url = normalizeURL(configOrUrl);
     } else {
       config = configOrUrl || {};
     }
 
+    // Coerce config.url to a string if it's a URL object, so that all downstream
+    // consumers (buildFullPath, combineURLs, adapters) see a string.
+    if (isURL(config.url)) {
+      config.url = normalizeURL(config.url);
+    }
+
     config = mergeConfig(this.defaults, config);
 
     const { transitional, paramsSerializer, headers } = config;
@@ -232,6 +251,9 @@ class Axios {
 
   getUri(config) {
     config = mergeConfig(this.defaults, config);
+    if (isURL(config.url)) {
+      config.url = normalizeURL(config.url);
+    }
     const fullPath = buildFullPath(config.baseURL, config.url, config.allowAbsoluteUrls);
     return buildURL(fullPath, config.params, config.paramsSerializer);
   }
diff --git a/lib/core/dispatchRequest.js b/lib/core/dispatchRequest.js
index 59662d46..fd1c3e5f 100644
--- a/lib/core/dispatchRequest.js
+++ b/lib/core/dispatchRequest.js
@@ -7,6 +7,25 @@ import CanceledError from '../cancel/CanceledError.js';
 import AxiosHeaders from '../core/AxiosHeaders.js';
 import adapters from '../adapters/adapters.js';
 
+const { toString } = Object.prototype;
+
+const isURL = (url) => {
+  if (url === null || typeof url !== 'object') {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  const prototype = Object.getPrototypeOf(url);
+  return prototype !== null && prototype !== Object.prototype && toString.call(url) === '[object URL]';
+};
+
+const normalizeURL = (url) => (isURL(url) ? url.toString() : url);
+
+function normalizeConfigURL(config) {
+  if (isURL(config.url)) {
+    config.url = normalizeURL(config.url);
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Throws a `CanceledError` if cancellation has been requested.
  *
@@ -32,6 +51,8 @@ function throwIfCancellationRequested(config) {
  * @returns {Promise} The Promise to be fulfilled
  */
 export default function dispatchRequest(config) {
+  normalizeConfigURL(config);
+
   throwIfCancellationRequested(config);
 
   config.headers = AxiosHeaders.from(config.headers);
@@ -43,6 +64,8 @@ export default function dispatchRequest(config) {
     config.headers.setContentType('application/x-www-form-urlencoded', false);
   }
 
+  normalizeConfigURL(config);
+
   const adapter = adapters.getAdapter(config.adapter || defaults.adapter, config);
 
   return adapter(config).then(
diff --git a/lib/helpers/buildURL.js b/lib/helpers/buildURL.js
index b3e230e5..2698a8f0 100644
--- a/lib/helpers/buildURL.js
+++ b/lib/helpers/buildURL.js
@@ -29,6 +29,12 @@ export function encode(val) {
  * @returns {string} The formatted url
  */
 export default function buildURL(url, params, options) {
+  // Safeguard for direct callers (e.g. via ./unsafe/helpers/buildURL.js): coerce URL-like
+  // objects to strings before using string methods below.
+  if (url !== null && typeof url === 'object' && typeof url.toString === 'function') {
+    url = url.toString();
+  }
+
   if (!params) {
     return url;
   }
diff --git a/tests/unit/adapters/http.test.js b/tests/unit/adapters/http.test.js
index 56e2e934..f610a97f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/adapters/http.test.js
+++ b/tests/unit/adapters/http.test.js
@@ -3116,6 +3116,46 @@ describe('supports http with nodejs', () => {
     }
   });
 
+  it('should support URL object with params', async () => {
+    const server = await startHTTPServer(
+      (req, res) => {
+        res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/json');
+        res.end(JSON.stringify({ url: req.url }));
+      },
+      { port: SERVER_PORT }
+    );
+
+    try {
+      const url = new URL(`http://localhost:${server.address().port}/foo?a=1`);
+      const response = await axios.get(url, { params: { b: '2' } });
+
+      assert.strictEqual(response.status, 200);
+      assert.strictEqual(response.data.url, '/foo?a=1&b=2');
+    } finally {
+      await stopHTTPServer(server);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('should support URL object without params (no crash)', async () => {
+    const server = await startHTTPServer(
+      (req, res) => {
+        res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/json');
+        res.end(JSON.stringify({ url: req.url }));
+      },
+      { port: SERVER_PORT }
+    );
+
+    try {
+      const url = new URL(`http://localhost:${server.address().port}/foo`);
+      const response = await axios.get(url);
+
+      assert.strictEqual(response.status, 200);
+      assert.strictEqual(response.data.url, '/foo');
+    } finally {
+      await stopHTTPServer(server);
+    }
+  });
+
   it('should support HTTP protocol', async () => {
     const server = await startHTTPServer(
       (req, res) => {
diff --git a/tests/unit/api.test.js b/tests/unit/api.test.js
index bcfd2ec4..a8070ad0 100644
--- a/tests/unit/api.test.js
+++ b/tests/unit/api.test.js
@@ -35,6 +35,94 @@ describe('static api', () => {
     await promise;
   });
 
+  it('should support URL object shorthand with config', async () => {
+    const url = new URL('http://example.com/test?a=1');
+
+    const response = await axios(url, {
+      params: {
+        b: 2,
+      },
+      adapter: (config) =>
+        Promise.resolve({
+          data: null,
+          status: 200,
+          statusText: 'OK',
+          headers: {},
+          config,
+          request: {},
+        }),
+    });
+
+    assert.strictEqual(response.config.url, url.toString());
+    assert.deepStrictEqual(response.config.params, { b: 2 });
+  });
+
+  it('should not require global URL to be a constructor for string requests', async () => {
+    const descriptor = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(globalThis, 'URL');
+
+    Object.defineProperty(globalThis, 'URL', {
+      configurable: true,
+      writable: true,
+      value: {},
+    });
+
+    try {
+      const response = await axios('/test', {
+        adapter: (config) =>
+          Promise.resolve({
+            data: null,
+            status: 200,
+            statusText: 'OK',
+            headers: {},
+            config,
+            request: {},
+          }),
+      });
+
+      assert.strictEqual(response.config.url, '/test');
+    } finally {
+      if (descriptor) {
+        Object.defineProperty(globalThis, 'URL', descriptor);
+      } else {
+        delete globalThis.URL;
+      }
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('should normalize URL object set by a request interceptor before dispatch', async () => {
+    const url = new URL('http://example.com/interceptor');
+    let transformUrl;
+    const interceptorId = axios.interceptors.request.use((config) => {
+      config.url = url;
+      return config;
+    });
+
+    try {
+      const response = await axios('/test', {
+        transformRequest: [
+          function (data) {
+            transformUrl = this.url;
+            return data;
+          },
+        ],
+        adapter: (config) =>
+          Promise.resolve({
+            data: null,
+            status: 200,
+            statusText: 'OK',
+            headers: {},
+            config,
+            request: {},
+          }),
+      });
+
+      assert.strictEqual(transformUrl, url.toString());
+      assert.strictEqual(response.config.url, url.toString());
+    } finally {
+      axios.interceptors.request.eject(interceptorId);
+    }
+  });
+
   it('should have defaults', () => {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof axios.defaults, 'object');
     assert.strictEqual(typeof axios.defaults.headers, 'object');
@@ -69,6 +157,16 @@ describe('static api', () => {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof axios.getUri, 'function');
   });
 
+  it('should support URL object config in getUri', () => {
+    const url = new URL('https://api.example.com/foo');
+
+    assert.strictEqual(axios.getUri({ url }), url.toString());
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      axios.getUri({ baseURL: 'https://example.com/base', url }),
+      url.toString()
+    );
+  });
+
   it('should have isAxiosError properties', () => {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof axios.isAxiosError, 'function');
   });
diff --git a/tests/unit/helpers/buildURL.test.js b/tests/unit/helpers/buildURL.test.js
index 6f114c06..ee62a245 100644
--- a/tests/unit/helpers/buildURL.test.js
+++ b/tests/unit/helpers/buildURL.test.js
@@ -101,6 +101,51 @@ describe('helpers::buildURL', () => {
     expect(buildURL('/foo', new URLSearchParams('bar=baz'))).toEqual('/foo?bar=baz');
   });
 
+  it('should support URL object without params', () => {
+    const url = new URL('http://example.com/foo?a=1');
+    expect(buildURL(url)).toEqual('http://example.com/foo?a=1');
+  });
+
+  it('should support URL object with params', () => {
+    const url = new URL('http://example.com/foo?a=1');
+    expect(buildURL(url, { b: 2 })).toEqual('http://example.com/foo?a=1&b=2');
+  });
+
+  it('should support URL-like object with params', () => {
+    const url = {
+      toString() {
+        return 'http://example.com/foo?a=1';
+      },
+    };
+
+    expect(buildURL(url, { b: 2 })).toEqual('http://example.com/foo?a=1&b=2');
+  });
+
+  it('should not require global URL to be a constructor', () => {
+    const descriptor = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(globalThis, 'URL');
+    const url = {
+      toString() {
+        return 'http://example.com/foo?a=1';
+      },
+    };
+
+    Object.defineProperty(globalThis, 'URL', {
+      configurable: true,
+      writable: true,
+      value: {},
+    });
+
+    try {
+      expect(buildURL(url, { b: 2 })).toEqual('http://example.com/foo?a=1&b=2');
+    } finally {
+      if (descriptor) {
+        Object.defineProperty(globalThis, 'URL', descriptor);
+      } else {
+        delete globalThis.URL;
+      }
+    }
+  });
+
   it('should support custom serialize function', () => {
     const params = {
       x: 1,