diff --git a/runtime/syntax/vim.vim b/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
index faa594cacf..26baff0901 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/vim.vim
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ syn match	vimNumber	'\<0z\%(\x\x\)\+\%(\.\%(\x\x\)\+\)*'	skipwhite nextgroup=@vi
 syn case match
 
 " All vimCommands are contained by vimIsCommand. {{{2
-syn cluster vimCmdList	contains=vimAbb,vimAddress,vimAutocmd,vimAugroup,vimBehave,vimCall,vimCatch,vimCommandModifier,vimConst,vimDoautocmd,vimDebuggreedy,vimDef,vimDefFold,vimDelcommand,vimDelFunction,@vimEcho,vimElse,vimEnddef,vimEndfunction,vimEndif,vimEval,vimExecute,vimIsCommand,vimExtCmd,vimExFilter,vimExMark,vimFiletype,vimFor,vimFunction,vimFunctionFold,vimGrep,vimGrepAdd,vimGlobal,vimHelpgrep,vimHighlight,vimImport,vimLet,vimLoadkeymap,vimLockvar,vimMake,vimMap,vimMark,vimMatch,vimNotFunc,vimNormal,vimProfdel,vimProfile,vimRedir,vimSet,vimSleep,vimSort,vimSyntax,vimSynColor,vimSynLink,vimThrow,vimUniq,vimUnlet,vimUnlockvar,vimUnmap,vimUserCmd,vimVimgrep,vimVimgrepadd,vimMenu,vimMenutranslate,@vim9CmdList,@vimExUserCmdList,vimLua,vimMzScheme,vimPerl,vimPython,vimPython3,vimPythonX,vimRuby,vimTcl
+syn cluster vimCmdList	contains=vimAbb,vimAddress,vimAutocmd,vimAugroup,vimBehave,vimCall,vimCatch,vimCommandModifier,vimConst,vimDoautocmd,vimDebuggreedy,vimDef,vimDefFold,vimDefer,vimDelcommand,vimDelFunction,@vimEcho,vimElse,vimEnddef,vimEndfunction,vimEndif,vimEval,vimExecute,vimIsCommand,vimExtCmd,vimExFilter,vimExMark,vimFiletype,vimFor,vimFunction,vimFunctionFold,vimGrep,vimGrepAdd,vimGlobal,vimHelpgrep,vimHighlight,vimImport,vimLet,vimLoadkeymap,vimLockvar,vimMake,vimMap,vimMark,vimMatch,vimNotFunc,vimNormal,vimProfdel,vimProfile,vimRedir,vimSet,vimSleep,vimSort,vimSyntax,vimSynColor,vimSynLink,vimThrow,vimUniq,vimUnlet,vimUnlockvar,vimUnmap,vimUserCmd,vimVimgrep,vimVimgrepadd,vimMenu,vimMenutranslate,@vim9CmdList,@vimExUserCmdList,vimLua,vimMzScheme,vimPerl,vimPython,vimPython3,vimPythonX,vimRuby,vimTcl
 syn cluster vim9CmdList	contains=vim9Abstract,vim9Class,vim9Const,vim9Enum,vim9Export,vim9Final,vim9For,vim9Interface,vim9Type,vim9Var
 syn match vimCmdSep	"\\\@1<!|"	skipwhite nextgroup=@vimCmdList,vimSubst1,@vimFunc
 syn match vimCmdSep	":\+"	skipwhite nextgroup=@vimCmdList,vimSubst1
@@ -300,6 +300,10 @@ syn match vimCall	"\<call\=\>"	skipwhite nextgroup=vimVar,@vimFunc
 " TODO: special-cased until generalised range/count support is implemented
 syn match	vimDebuggreedy	"\<0\=debugg\%[reedy]\>" contains=vimCount
 
+" Defer {{{2
+" =====
+syn match	vimDefer	"\<defer\=\>"	skipwhite nextgroup=@vimFunc
+
 " Exception Handling {{{2
 syn keyword	vimThrow	th[row]	skipwhite nextgroup=@vimExprList
 syn keyword	vimCatch	cat[ch]	skipwhite nextgroup=vimCatchPattern
@@ -2240,6 +2244,7 @@ if !exists("skip_vim_syntax_inits")
  hi def link vimDef	vimCommand
  hi def link vimDefBang	vimBang
  hi def link vimDefComment	vim9Comment
+ hi def link vimDefer	vimCommand
  hi def link vimDefParam	vimVar
  hi def link vimDelcommand	vimCommand
  hi def link vimDelcommandAttr	vimUserCmdAttr