The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing composition comprising (a) about 0.05 wt.% to about 10 wt.% of an abrasive; (b) a dispersant, wherein the dispersant is a linear or branched C 2 -C 10 alkylenediol; and (c) water, wherein the chemical-mechanical polishing composition has a pH of about 2 to about 6. The invention also provides a method of chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate by contacting the substrate with the inventive chemical-mechanical polishing composition.