diff --git a/runtime/syntax/man.vim b/runtime/syntax/man.vim
index 9ae50d17a5..6afe56a6e3 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/man.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/man.vim
@@ -34,19 +34,18 @@ if b:man_sect =~# '^[023]'
   syntax case match
   syntax include @c $VIMRUNTIME/syntax/c.vim
   syntax match manCFuncDefinition display '\<\h\w*\>\ze\(\s\|\n\)*(' contained
-  syntax match manSentence display '\%(^ \{3,7}\u\|\.  \u\)\_.\{-}
-        \\%(-$\|\.$\|:$\)\|
-        \ \{3,7}\a.*\%(\.\|:\)$' contained contains=manReference
+  syntax match manLowerSentence /\n\s\{7}\l.\+[()]\=\%(\:\|.\|-\)[()]\=[{};]\@<!\n$/ display keepend contained contains=manReference
+  syntax region manSentence start=/^\s\{7}\%(\u\|\*\)[^{}=]*/ end=/\n$/ end=/\ze\n\s\{3,7}#/ keepend contained contains=manReference
   syntax region manSynopsis start='^\%(
         \SYNOPSIS\|
         \SYNTAX\|
         \SINTASSI\|
         \SKŁADNIA\|
         \СИНТАКСИС\|
-        \書式\)$' end='^\%(\S.*\)\=\S$' keepend contains=manSentence,manSectionHeading,@c,manCFuncDefinition
+        \書式\)$' end='^\%(\S.*\)\=\S$' keepend contains=manLowerSentence,manSentence,manSectionHeading,@c,manCFuncDefinition
   highlight default link manCFuncDefinition Function
 
-  syntax region manExample start='^EXAMPLES\=$' end='^\%(\S.*\)\=\S$' keepend contains=manSentence,manSectionHeading,manSubHeading,@c,manCFuncDefinition
+  syntax region manExample start='^EXAMPLES\=$' end='^\%(\S.*\)\=\S$' keepend contains=manLowerSentence,manSentence,manSectionHeading,manSubHeading,@c,manCFuncDefinition
 
   " XXX: groupthere doesn't seem to work
   syntax sync minlines=500