The invention discloses a substituted diaryl ether compound. The structural formula of the compound is shown in the specification. In the structural formula, Z is -CH- or -N-; W is -CH-or -N-; Y is -O-, -CH2-, -NH- or -NRy-; R1 is one of hydrogen, halogen, NO2, CN, CF3, ORa, CORa, COORa, SO2Ra, SO2NRaRb, NRaRb, NRaCORb, a non-substituted/substituted C1-C4 alkyl group, a non-substituted/substituted aryl group and a non-substituted/substituted heterocyclic group; R2 is hydrogen, a non-substituted/substituted C1-C4 alkyl group, or halogen; and R is one of a non-substituted/substituted C1-C12 alkyl group, a non-substituted/substituted C3-C12 cycloalkyl group, a non-substituted/substituted C2-C12 alkenyl group, a non-substituted/substituted aryl group, substituted alkylamine, and a non-substituted/substituted heterocyclic group. The substituted diaryl ether compound can obviously inhibit the malignant proliferation phenotype of cancer cells, promotes the expression of cell apoptosis factor proteins, and provides a new potential anticancer drug.