An electrochromic polymer, comprising: a repeat unit comprising one or more meta-conjugated linkers (MCLs) and one or more aromatic moieties (Ars), wherein each of the one or more MCLs is partially conjugated with the one or more Ars at meta positions of the one or more MCLs to form a polymer backbone of the electrochromic polymer, wherein each of the one or more MCLs and corresponding meta positions comprise one of the following formulas: wherein X is S, Se, N, C, or O; each of R 1 -R 12 is independently selected from one of hydrogen, C 1 -C 30 alkyl, C 2 -C 30 alkenyl, C 2 -C 30 alkynyl, C 2 -C 30 alkylcarbonyl, C 1 -C 30 alkoxy, C 3 -C 30 alkoxyalkyl, C 2 -C 30 alkoxycarbonyl, C 4 -C 30 alkoxycarbonylalkyl, C 1 -C 30 alkylthio, C 1 -C 30 aminylcarbonyl, C 4 -C 30 aminylalkyl, C 1 -C 30 alkylaminyl, C 1 -C 30 alkylsulfonyl, C 3 -C 30 alkylsulfonylalkyl, C 6 -C 18 aryl, C 3 -C 15 cycloalkyl, C 3 -C 30 cycloalkylaminyl, Cs-C 30 cycloalkylalkylaminyl, C 5 -C 30 cycloalkylalkyl, C 5 -C 30 cycloalkylalkyloxy, C 1 -C 12 heterocyclyl, C 1 -C 12 heterocyclyloxy, C 1 -C 30 heterocyclylalkyloxy, C 1 -C 30 heterocyclylaminyl, C 5 -C 30 heterocyclylalkylaminyl, C 2 -C 12 heterocyclylcarbonyl, C 3 -C 30 heterocyclylalkyl, C 1 -C 13 heteroaryl, or C 3 -C 30 heteroarylalkyl; and each of the wavy lines represents one of the meta positions, wherein each of the one or more Ars comprises one of a thiophene-based unit, a furan-based unit, a selenophene-based unit, or a pyrrole-based unit with one of the following formulas: wherein each of R 13 R 14 and R 15 is independently selected from one of hydrogen, C 1 -C 30 alkyl, C 2 -C 30 alkenyl, C 2 -C 30 alkynyl, C 2 -C 30 alkylcarbonyl, C 1 -C 30 alkoxy, C 3 -C 30 alkoxyalkyl, C 2 -C 30 alkoxycarbonyl, C 4 -C 30 alkoxycarbonylalkyl, C 1 -C 30 alkylthio, C 1 -C 30 aminylcarbonyl, C 4 -C 30 aminylalkyl, C 1 -C 30 alkylaminyl, C 1 -C 30 alkylsulfonyl, C 3 -C 30 alkylsulfonylalkyl, C 6 -C 18 aryl, C 3 -C 15 cycloalkyl, C 3 -C 30 cycloalkylaminyl, C 5 -C 30 cycloalkylalkylaminyl, C 5 -C 30 cycloalkylalkyl, C 5 -C 30 cycloalkylalkyloxy, C 1 -C 12 heterocyclyl, C 1 -C 12 heterocyclyloxy, C 1 -C 30 heterocyclylalkyloxy, C 1 -C 30 heterocyclylaminyl, C 5 -C 30 heterocyclylalkylaminyl, C 2 -C 12 heterocyclylcarbonyl, C 3 -C 30 heterocyclylalkyl, C 1 -C 13 heteroaryl, or C 3 -C 30 heteroarylalkyl, and wherein the electrochromic polymer is colorless in the neutral state, or wherein the electrochromic polymer has an absorption onset equal to or smaller than 420 nm in a neutral state. wherein each of the one or more MCLs is partially conjugated with the one or more Ars at meta positions of the one or more MCLs to form a polymer backbone of the electrochromic polymer, wherein each of the one or more MCLs and corresponding meta positions comprise one of the following formulas: wherein X is S, Se, N, C, or O; each of R 1 -R 12 is independently selected from one of hydrogen, C 1 -C 30 alkyl, C 2 -C 30 alkenyl, C 2 -C 30 alkynyl, C 2 -C 30 alkylcarbonyl, C 1 -C 30 alkoxy, C 3 -C 30 alkoxyalkyl, C 2 -C 30 alkoxycarbonyl, C 4 -C 30 alkoxycarbonylalkyl, C 1 -C 30 alkylthio, C 1 -C 30 aminylcarbonyl, C 4 -C 30 aminylalkyl, C 1 -C 30 alkylaminyl, C 1 -C 30 alkylsulfonyl, C 3 -C 30 alkylsulfonylalkyl, C 6 -C 18 aryl, C 3 -C 15 cycloalkyl, C 3 -C 30 cycloalkylaminyl, Cs-C 30 cycloalkylalkylaminyl, C 5 -C 30 cycloalkylalkyl, C 5 -C 30 cycloalkylalkyloxy, C 1 -C 12 heterocyclyl, C 1 -C 12 heterocyclyloxy, C 1 -C 30 heterocyclylalkyloxy, C 1 -C 30 heterocyclylaminyl, C 5 -C 30 heterocyclylalkylaminyl, C 2 -C 12 heterocyclylcarbonyl, C 3 -C 30 heterocyclylalkyl, C 1 -C 13 heteroaryl, or C 3 -C 30 heteroarylalkyl; and each of the wavy lines represents one of the meta positions, wherein each of the one or more Ars comprises one of a thiophene-based unit, a furan-based unit, a selenophene-based unit, or a pyrrole-based unit with one of the following formulas: wherein each of R 13 R 14 and R 15 is independently selected from one of hydrogen, C 1 -C 30 alkyl, C 2 -C 30 alkenyl, C 2 -C 30 alkynyl, C 2 -C 30 alkylcarbonyl, C 1 -C 30 alkoxy, C 3 -C 30 alkoxyalkyl, C 2 -C 30 alkoxycarbonyl, C 4 -C 30 alkoxycarbonylalkyl, C 1 -C 30 alkylthio, C 1 -C 30 aminylcarbonyl, C 4 -C 30 aminylalkyl, C 1 -C 30 alkylaminyl, C 1 -C 30 alkylsulfonyl, C 3 -C 30 alkylsulfonylalkyl, C 6 -C 18 aryl, C 3 -C 15 cycloalkyl, C 3 -C 30 cycloalkylaminyl, C 5 -C 30 cycloalkylalkylaminyl, C 5 -C 30 cycloalkylalkyl, C 5 -C 30 cycloalkylalkyloxy, C 1 -C 12 heterocyclyl, C 1 -C 12 heterocyclyloxy, C 1 -C 30 heterocyclylalkyloxy, C 1 -C 30 heterocyclylaminyl, C 5 -C 30 heterocyclylalkylaminyl, C 2 -C 12 heterocyclylcarbonyl, C 3 -C 30 heterocyclylalkyl, C 1 -C 13 heteroaryl, or C 3 -C 30 heteroarylalkyl, and wherein the electrochromic polymer is colorless in the neutral state, or wherein the electrochromic polymer has an absorption onset equal to or smaller than 420 nm in a neutral state.