Constructing planar, rigid, and high electronically delocalized p-conjugated molecular system is the most basic requirements of obtaining high-performance polymeric semiconductors for organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). In this regard, diarylethylene (DAE)-based polymers show great potential because many substantive progresses related to polymer field-effect transistors had been achieved from the kind of polymer materials in recent years. In the brief review, series of DAE-based polymer are highlighted, based on which several design strategies have been summarized by the way of comparative research method. These strategies have important guiding significance not only for further developing new DAEbased and other polymeric semiconductors for OFETs but also for developing specific polymeric semiconductors for other organic electronics, such as organic photovoltaics and organic light-emitting diodes. V C 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 585-603 KEYWORDS: design strategies; diarylethylene; organic fieldeffect transistors; polymeric semiconductors; synthesis INTRODUCTION Solution-processable semiconducting polymers have attracted great interest during the recent decades because of the traits of excellent film forming property, and adjustable chemical structure and property, as well as the potential to fabricate various lightweight and flexible electronic devices such as organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) via cost-effective large-area graphic printing processes.