diff --git a/runtime/ftplugin/vim.vim b/runtime/ftplugin/vim.vim
index 8abe337f9f..f5dae0f94e 100644
--- a/runtime/ftplugin/vim.vim
+++ b/runtime/ftplugin/vim.vim
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ endif
 
 " Set 'comments' to format dashed lists in comments, both in Vim9 and legacy
 " script.
-setlocal com=sO:#\ -,mO:#\ \ ,eO:##,:#,sO:\"\ -,mO:\"\ \ ,eO:\"\",:\"
+setlocal com=sO:#\ -,mO:#\ \ ,eO:##,:#\\\ ,:#,sO:\"\ -,mO:\"\ \ ,eO:\"\",:\"\\\ ,:\"
 
 
 " Format comments to be up to 78 characters long
diff --git a/runtime/syntax/vim.vim b/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
index 5fb47bdcef..327790fe92 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ syn keyword vimAugroupKey contained	aug[roup]
 
 " Operators: {{{2
 " =========
-syn cluster	vimOperGroup	contains=vimEnvvar,vimFunc,vimFuncVar,vimOper,vimOperParen,vimNumber,vimString,vimType,vimRegister,vimContinue,vim9Comment,vimVar
+syn cluster	vimOperGroup	contains=vimEnvvar,vimFunc,vimFuncVar,vimOper,vimOperParen,vimNumber,vimString,vimType,vimRegister,@vimContinue,vim9Comment,vimVar
 syn match	vimOper	"||\|&&\|[-+*/%.!]"				skipwhite nextgroup=vimString,vimSpecFile
 syn match	vimOper	"\%#=1\(==\|!=\|>=\|<=\|=\~\|!\~\|>\|<\|=\|!\~#\)[?#]\{0,2}"	skipwhite nextgroup=vimString,vimSpecFile
 syn match	vimOper	"\(\<is\|\<isnot\)[?#]\{0,2}\>"			skipwhite nextgroup=vimString,vimSpecFile
@@ -476,23 +476,23 @@ syn match	vimNormCmds contained	".*$"
 
 " Syntax: {{{2
 "=======
-syn match	vimGroupList		contained	"@\=[^[:space:],]\+"	nextgroup=vimGroupListComma                 skipwhite skipnl
-syn match	vimGroupListContinue	contained	"\\"		nextgroup=vimGroupList	        skipwhite
-syn match	vimGroupListComma		contained	","		nextgroup=vimGroupList,vimGroupListContinue skipwhite skipnl
-syn keyword	vimGroupSpecial		contained	ALL	ALLBUT	CONTAINED	TOP
+syn match	vimGroupList	contained	"[^[:space:],]\+\%(\s*,\s*[^[:space:],]\+\)*" contains=vimGroupSpecial
+syn region	vimGroupList	contained	start=/^\s*["#]\\ \|^\s*\\\|[^[:space:],]\+\s*,/ skip=/\s*\n\s*\\\|\s*\n\s*["#]\\ \|^\s*\\\|^\s*["#]\\ / end=/[^[:space:],]\s*$\|[^[:space:],]\ze\s\+\w/ contains=@vimContinue,vimGroupSpecial
+syn keyword	vimGroupSpecial	contained	ALL	ALLBUT	CONTAINED	TOP
+
 if !exists("g:vimsyn_noerror") && !exists("g:vimsyn_novimsynerror")
  syn match	vimSynError	contained	"\i\+"
  syn match	vimSynError	contained	"\i\+="	nextgroup=vimGroupList
 endif
-syn match	vimSynContains	contained	"\<contain\(s\|edin\)="	nextgroup=vimGroupList,vimGroupListContinue skipwhite skipnl
-syn match	vimSynKeyContainedin	contained	"\<containedin="	nextgroup=vimGroupList
-syn match	vimSynNextgroup	contained	"nextgroup="	nextgroup=vimGroupList,vimGroupListContinue skipwhite skipnl
+syn match	vimSynContains	contained	"\<contain\%(s\|edin\)="	skipwhite skipnl nextgroup=vimGroupList
+syn match	vimSynKeyContainedin	contained	"\<containedin="	skipwhite skipnl nextgroup=vimGroupList
+syn match	vimSynNextgroup	contained	"\<nextgroup="		skipwhite skipnl nextgroup=vimGroupList
 if has("conceal")
+ " no whitespace allowed after '='
  syn match	vimSynCchar	contained	"\<cchar="	nextgroup=vimSynCcharValue
  syn match	vimSynCcharValue	contained	"\S"
 endif
 
-
 syn match	vimSyntax	"\<sy\%[ntax]\>"	contains=vimCommand skipwhite nextgroup=vimSynType,vimComment,vim9Comment
 syn match	vimAuSyntax	contained	"\s+sy\%[ntax]"	contains=vimCommand skipwhite nextgroup=vimSynType,vimComment,vim9Comment
 syn cluster vimFuncBodyList add=vimSyntax
@@ -509,9 +509,9 @@ syn keyword	vimSynType	contained	clear	skipwhite nextgroup=vimGroupList
 
 " Syntax: cluster {{{2
 syn keyword	vimSynType	contained	cluster	skipwhite nextgroup=vimClusterName
-syn region	vimClusterName	contained	matchgroup=vimGroupName start="\h\w*" skip="\\\\\|\\\|\n\s*\\" matchgroup=vimSep end="$\||" contains=vimContinue,vimGroupAdd,vimGroupRem,vimSynContains,vimSynError
-syn match	vimGroupAdd	contained	"add="	nextgroup=vimGroupList
-syn match	vimGroupRem	contained	"remove="	nextgroup=vimGroupList
+syn region	vimClusterName	contained keepend	matchgroup=vimGroupName start="\h\w*\>" skip=+\\\\\|\\\|\n\s*\\\|\n\s*"\\ + matchgroup=vimCmdSep end="$\||" contains=@vimContinue,vimGroupAdd,vimGroupRem,vimSynContains,vimSynError
+syn match	vimGroupAdd	contained keepend	"\<add="	skipwhite skipnl nextgroup=vimGroupList
+syn match	vimGroupRem	contained keepend	"\<remove="	skipwhite skipnl nextgroup=vimGroupList
 syn cluster vimFuncBodyList add=vimSynType,vimGroupAdd,vimGroupRem
 
 " Syntax: foldlevel {{{2
@@ -531,16 +531,16 @@ syn keyword	vimSynType	contained	include	skipwhite nextgroup=vimGroupList
 syn cluster vimFuncBodyList add=vimSynType
 
 " Syntax: keyword {{{2
-syn cluster	vimSynKeyGroup	contains=vimContinue,vimSynCchar,vimSynNextgroup,vimSynKeyOpt,vimSynKeyContainedin
+syn cluster	vimSynKeyGroup	contains=@vimContinue,vimSynCchar,vimSynNextgroup,vimSynKeyOpt,vimSynKeyContainedin
 syn keyword	vimSynType	contained	keyword	skipwhite nextgroup=vimSynKeyRegion
-syn region	vimSynKeyRegion	contained         keepend	matchgroup=vimGroupName start="\h\w*" skip="\\\\\|\\|\|\n\s*\\" matchgroup=vimSep end="|\|$" contains=@vimSynKeyGroup
+syn region	vimSynKeyRegion	contained         keepend	matchgroup=vimGroupName start="\h\w*\>" skip=+\\\\\|\\|\|\n\s*\\\|\n\s*"\\ + matchgroup=vimCmdSep end="|\|$" contains=@vimSynKeyGroup
 syn match	vimSynKeyOpt	contained	"\%#=1\<\(conceal\|contained\|transparent\|skipempty\|skipwhite\|skipnl\)\>"
 syn cluster vimFuncBodyList add=vimSynType
 
 " Syntax: match {{{2
-syn cluster	vimSynMtchGroup	contains=vimContinue,vimMtchComment,vimSynCchar,vimSynContains,vimSynError,vimSynMtchOpt,vimSynNextgroup,vimSynRegPat,vimNotation,vim9Comment
+syn cluster	vimSynMtchGroup	contains=@vimContinue,vimSynCchar,vimSynContains,vimSynError,vimSynMtchOpt,vimSynNextgroup,vimSynRegPat,vimNotation,vimMtchComment
 syn keyword	vimSynType	contained	match	skipwhite nextgroup=vimSynMatchRegion
-syn region	vimSynMatchRegion	contained keepend	matchgroup=vimGroupName start="\h\w*" skip="\n\s*\\" matchgroup=vimSep end="|\|$" contains=@vimSynMtchGroup
+syn region	vimSynMatchRegion	contained keepend	matchgroup=vimGroupName start="\h\w*\>" skip=+\\\\\|\\|\|\n\s*\\\|\n\s*"\\ + matchgroup=vimCmdSep end="|\|$" contains=@vimSynMtchGroup
 syn match	vimSynMtchOpt	contained	"\%#=1\<\(conceal\|transparent\|contained\|excludenl\|keepend\|skipempty\|skipwhite\|display\|extend\|skipnl\|fold\)\>"
 syn cluster vimFuncBodyList add=vimSynMtchGroup
 
@@ -548,14 +548,14 @@ syn cluster vimFuncBodyList add=vimSynMtchGroup
 syn keyword	vimSynType	contained	enable	list	manual	off	on	reset
 
 " Syntax: region {{{2
-syn cluster	vimSynRegPatGroup	contains=vimPatSep,vimNotPatSep,vimSynPatRange,vimSynNotPatRange,vimSubstSubstr,vimPatRegion,vimPatSepErr,vimNotation
-syn cluster	vimSynRegGroup	contains=vimContinue,vimSynCchar,vimSynContains,vimSynNextgroup,vimSynRegOpt,vimSynReg,vimSynMtchGrp
+syn cluster	vimSynRegPatGroup	contains=@vimContinue,vimPatSep,vimNotPatSep,vimSynPatRange,vimSynNotPatRange,vimSubstSubstr,vimPatRegion,vimPatSepErr,vimNotation
+syn cluster	vimSynRegGroup	contains=@vimContinue,vimSynCchar,vimSynContains,vimSynNextgroup,vimSynRegOpt,vimSynReg,vimSynMtchGrp
 syn keyword	vimSynType	contained	region	skipwhite nextgroup=vimSynRegion
-syn region	vimSynRegion	contained keepend	matchgroup=vimGroupName start="\h\w*" skip="\\\\\|\\\|\n\s*\\" end="|\|$" contains=@vimSynRegGroup
+syn region	vimSynRegion	contained keepend	matchgroup=vimGroupName start="\h\w*" skip=+\\\\\|\\\|\n\s*\\\|\n\s*"\\ + end="|\|$" contains=@vimSynRegGroup
 syn match	vimSynRegOpt	contained	"\%#=1\<\(conceal\(ends\)\=\|transparent\|contained\|excludenl\|skipempty\|skipwhite\|display\|keepend\|oneline\|extend\|skipnl\|fold\)\>"
-syn match	vimSynReg	contained	"\(start\|skip\|end\)="he=e-1	nextgroup=vimSynRegPat
+syn match	vimSynReg	contained	"\<\%(start\|skip\|end\)="	nextgroup=vimSynRegPat
 syn match	vimSynMtchGrp	contained	"matchgroup="	nextgroup=vimGroup,vimHLGroup,vimOnlyHLGroup,nvimHLGroup
-syn region	vimSynRegPat	contained extend	start="\z([-`~!@#$%^&*_=+;:'",./?]\)"  skip="\\\\\|\\\z1\|\n\s*\\"  end="\z1"  contains=@vimSynRegPatGroup skipwhite nextgroup=vimSynPatMod,vimSynReg
+syn region	vimSynRegPat	contained extend	start="\z([-`~!@#$%^&*_=+;:'",./?]\)"  skip=/\\\\\|\\\z1\|\n\s*\\\|\n\s*"\\ /  end="\z1"  contains=@vimSynRegPatGroup skipwhite nextgroup=vimSynPatMod,vimSynReg
 syn match	vimSynPatMod	contained	"\%#=1\(hs\|ms\|me\|hs\|he\|rs\|re\)=[se]\([-+]\d\+\)\="
 syn match	vimSynPatMod	contained	"\%#=1\(hs\|ms\|me\|hs\|he\|rs\|re\)=[se]\([-+]\d\+\)\=," nextgroup=vimSynPatMod
 syn match	vimSynPatMod	contained	"lc=\d\+"
@@ -649,7 +649,9 @@ syn match	vimLineComment	+^[ \t:]*"\("[^"]*"\|[^"]\)*$+	contains=@vimCommentGrou
 syn match	vim9LineComment	+^[ \t:]\+#.*$+	contains=@vimCommentGroup,vimCommentString,vimCommentTitle
 syn match	vimCommentTitle	'"\s*\%([sS]:\|\h\w*#\)\=\u\w*\(\s\+\u\w*\)*:'hs=s+1	contained contains=vimCommentTitleLeader,vimTodo,@vimCommentGroup
 " Note: Look-behind to work around nextgroup skipnl consuming leading whitespace and preventing a match
-syn match	vimContinue	"\%(^\s*\)\@32<=\\"
+syn match	vimContinue		"^\s*\zs\\"
+syn match         vimContinueComment	'^\s*\zs["#]\\ .*' contained
+syn cluster	vimContinue contains=vimContinue,vimContinueComment
 syn region	vimString	start="^\s*\\\z(['"]\)" skip='\\\\\|\\\z1' end="\z1" oneline keepend contains=@vimStringGroup,vimContinue
 syn match	vimCommentTitleLeader	'"\s\+'ms=s+1	contained
 
@@ -893,6 +895,7 @@ if !exists("skip_vim_syntax_inits")
  hi def link vimCondHL	vimCommand
  hi def link vimConst	vimCommand
  hi def link vimContinue	Special
+ hi def link vimContinueComment	vimComment
  hi def link vimCtrlChar	SpecialChar
  hi def link vimEchoHLNone	vimGroup
  hi def link vimEchoHL	vimCommand
@@ -914,7 +917,6 @@ if !exists("skip_vim_syntax_inits")
  hi def link vimFuncSID	Special
  hi def link vimFuncVar	Identifier
  hi def link vimGroupAdd	vimSynOption
- hi def link vimGroupListContinue	vimContinue
  hi def link vimGroupName	vimGroup
  hi def link vimGroupRem	vimSynOption
  hi def link vimGroupSpecial	Special