diff --git a/runtime/doc/syntax.txt b/runtime/doc/syntax.txt
index 61028c791d..ded5e46d07 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/syntax.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/syntax.txt
@@ -3327,28 +3327,31 @@ The g:vimsyn_embed option allows users to select what, if any, types of
 embedded script highlighting they wish to have. >
 
    g:vimsyn_embed == 0      : disable (don't embed any scripts)
-   g:vimsyn_embed == 'lpPr' : support embedded lua, perl, python and ruby
+   g:vimsyn_embed == 'lpPr' : support embedded Lua, Perl, Python and Ruby
 <
 This option is disabled by default.
 						*g:vimsyn_folding*
-
 Some folding is now supported with when 'foldmethod' is set to "syntax": >
 
    g:vimsyn_folding == 0 or doesn't exist: no syntax-based folding
    g:vimsyn_folding =~ 'a' : augroups
    g:vimsyn_folding =~ 'f' : fold functions
    g:vimsyn_folding =~ 'h' : fold heredocs
-   g:vimsyn_folding =~ 'l' : fold lua      script
-   g:vimsyn_folding =~ 'p' : fold perl     script
-   g:vimsyn_folding =~ 'P' : fold python   script
-   g:vimsyn_folding =~ 'r' : fold ruby     script
+   g:vimsyn_folding =~ 'l' : fold Lua      script
+   g:vimsyn_folding =~ 'p' : fold Perl     script
+   g:vimsyn_folding =~ 'P' : fold Python   script
+   g:vimsyn_folding =~ 'r' : fold Ruby     script
 <
 
 By default, g:vimsyn_folding is unset.  Concatenate the indicated characters
-to support folding of multiple syntax constructs; i.e.
-g:vimsyn_folding = "fh" will enable folding of both functions and heredocs.
+to support folding of multiple syntax constructs (e.g.,
+g:vimsyn_folding = "fh" will enable folding of both functions and heredocs).
 
-							*g:vimsyn_noerror*
+						*g:vimsyn_comment_strings*
+By default, strings are highlighted inside comments.  This may be disabled by
+setting g:vimsyn_comment_strings to false.
+
+						*g:vimsyn_noerror*
 Not all error highlighting that syntax/vim.vim does may be correct; Vim script
 is a difficult language to highlight correctly.  A way to suppress error
 highlighting is to put the following line in your |vimrc|: >
diff --git a/runtime/syntax/vim.vim b/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
index 6cb75f3af4..d16d62dc4a 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
@@ -359,7 +359,9 @@ syn region	vimUserCmdBlock	contained	matchgroup=vimSep start="{" end="}" contain
 
 " Lower Priority Comments: after some vim commands... {{{2
 " =======================
-syn region	vimCommentString	contained oneline start='\S\s\+"'ms=e end='"'
+if get(g:, "vimsyn_comment_strings", 1)
+  syn region	vimCommentString	contained oneline start='\S\s\+"'ms=e end='"'
+endif
 
 if s:vim9script
   syn match	vimComment	excludenl +\s"[^\-:.%#=*].*$+lc=1	contains=@vimCommentGroup,vimCommentString contained
@@ -806,16 +808,17 @@ syn match	vimCtrlChar	"[
--]"
 " Beginners - Patterns that involve ^ {{{2
 " =========
 if s:vim9script
-  syn match	vimLineComment	+^[ \t:]*".*$+	contains=@vimCommentGroup,vimCommentString,vimCommentTitle contained
-  syn match	vim9LineComment	+^[ \t:]*#.*$+	contains=@vimCommentGroup,vimCommentString,vim9CommentTitle
+  syn region	vim9LineComment	start=+^[ \t:]*\zs#.*$+ skip=+\n\s*\\\|\n\s*#\\ + end="$" contains=@vimCommentGroup,vimCommentString,vim9CommentTitle
+  syn region	vimLineComment	start=+^[ \t:]*\zs".*$+ skip=+\n\s*\\\|\n\s*"\\ + end="$" contains=@vimCommentGroup,vimCommentString,vimCommentTitle contained
 else
-  syn match	vimLineComment	+^[ \t:]*".*$+	contains=@vimCommentGroup,vimCommentString,vimCommentTitle
-  syn match	vim9LineComment	+^[ \t:]*#.*$+	contains=@vimCommentGroup,vimCommentString,vim9CommentTitle contained
+  syn region	vimLineComment	start=+^[ \t:]*\zs".*$+ skip=+\n\s*\\\|\n\s*"\\ + end="$" contains=@vimCommentGroup,vimCommentString,vimCommentTitle
+  syn region	vim9LineComment	start=+^[ \t:]*\zs#.*$+ skip=+\n\s*\\\|\n\s*#\\ + end="$" contains=@vimCommentGroup,vimCommentString,vim9CommentTitle contained
 endif
 syn match	vimCommentTitle	'"\s*\%([sS]:\|\h\w*#\)\=\u\w*\(\s\+\u\w*\)*:'hs=s+1	contained contains=vimCommentTitleLeader,vimTodo,@vimCommentGroup
 syn match	vim9CommentTitle	'#\s*\%([sS]:\|\h\w*#\)\=\u\w*\(\s\+\u\w*\)*:'hs=s+1	contained contains=vim9CommentTitleLeader,vimTodo,@vimCommentGroup
+
 syn match	vimContinue		"^\s*\zs\\"
-syn match         vimContinueComment	'^\s*\zs["#]\\ .*' contained
+syn match         vimContinueComment	'^\s*\zs["#]\\ .*'
 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