Several new terthiophene-based, highly anisotropic chromophores were synthesized and dispersed in ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). The chromophores were axially oriented by drawing the polymer matrix and showed an extremely pronounced dichroic behavior. In a pseudo-affine deformation scheme the dyes did well approximate the ultimate properties in terms of molecular orientation; on the other hand, the observed thermochromism and other experimental evidence indicated the persistence of a phase segregation from the polymer matrix.