The present invention relates to the use of comb polymers which have a carbon backbone which bears polyether groups of the formula A *--U--(C(O)).sub.k--X-(Alk-O).sub.n--W A wherein * indicates the binding site to the carbon backbone of the comb polymer, U stands for a chemical bond or an alkylene group with 1 to 8 C atoms, X means oxygen or a NR group, k is 0 or 1, n stands for a whole number, the mean value whereof, based on the comb polymer, lies in the range from 5 to 300, Alk stands for C.sub.2-C.sub.4 alkylene, where Alk within the group (Alk-O).sub.n can be the same or different, W means a hydrogen, a C.sub.1-C.sub.6 alkyl residue or an aryl residue or means the group Y-Z, Y stands for a linear or branched alkylene group with 2 to 8 C atoms, which may bear a phenyl ring, Z stands for a 5- to 10-membered nitrogen heterocycle bound via nitrogen, which can have as ring members, as well as the nitrogen atom and as well as carbon atoms, 1, 2 or 3 additional hetero atoms, selected from oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur, wherein the nitrogen ring members can contain a group R', and wherein 1 or 2 carbon ring members can be present as carbonyl groups, R stands for hydrogen, C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl or benzyl, and R' stands for hydrogen, C.sub.1-C.sub.4 alkyl or benzyl;and functional groups B, which are present in the form of anionic groups at pH>12,and salts thereof as grinding aids in cement-containing preparations.