diff --git a/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/domain/word/application/WordService.java b/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/domain/word/application/WordService.java
index 26262a9..93a4864 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/domain/word/application/WordService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/domain/word/application/WordService.java
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 import com.dnd.spaced.domain.word.application.dto.response.WordSearchInfoDto;
 import com.dnd.spaced.domain.word.application.event.dto.request.FoundWordPopularViewCountEvent;
 import com.dnd.spaced.domain.word.application.event.dto.request.FoundWordViewCountEvent;
+import com.dnd.spaced.domain.word.application.exception.CandidatesNotFoundException;
 import com.dnd.spaced.domain.word.application.exception.WordNotFoundException;
 import com.dnd.spaced.domain.word.domain.Word;
 import com.dnd.spaced.domain.word.domain.repository.PopularWordRepository;
@@ -78,8 +79,11 @@ public List<ListWordInfoDto> findRandomWords() {
     }
 
     public InputWordCandidateDto findCandidateAllBy(String target) {
-        WordCandidateDto result = wordRepository.findCandidateAllBy(target);
+        if (target == null || target.trim().isEmpty()) {
+            throw new CandidatesNotFoundException();
+        }
 
+        WordCandidateDto result = wordRepository.findCandidateAllBy(target);
         return WordServiceMapper.from(result);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/domain/word/application/exception/CandidatesNotFoundException.java b/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/domain/word/application/exception/CandidatesNotFoundException.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6431478
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/domain/word/application/exception/CandidatesNotFoundException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+package com.dnd.spaced.domain.word.application.exception;
+
+import com.dnd.spaced.global.exception.BaseClientException;
+import com.dnd.spaced.global.exception.ExceptionCode;
+
+public class CandidatesNotFoundException extends BaseClientException {
+
+    public CandidatesNotFoundException() {
+        super(ExceptionCode.CANDIDATE_NOT_FOUND);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/domain/word/domain/repository/QuerydslWordRepository.java b/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/domain/word/domain/repository/QuerydslWordRepository.java
index a1d61a6..1d74eb0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/domain/word/domain/repository/QuerydslWordRepository.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/domain/word/domain/repository/QuerydslWordRepository.java
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ public List<Word> findAllBy(WordConditionDto wordConditionDto) {
     public WordCandidateDto findCandidateAllBy(String target) {
         List<String> result = queryFactory.select(word.name)
                 .from(word)
-                .where(word.name.endsWith(target))
+                .where(word.name.contains(target))
                 .fetch();
 
         return WordRepositoryMapper.to(result);
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/domain/word/presentation/WordController.java b/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/domain/word/presentation/WordController.java
index eefc9f7..1ff0b5f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/domain/word/presentation/WordController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/domain/word/presentation/WordController.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.GetMapping;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.PathVariable;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestMapping;
+import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RequestParam;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RestController;
 
 @RestController
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ public ResponseEntity<Long> getTotalWordCount() {
     }
 
     @GetMapping("/candidates")
-    public ResponseEntity<InputWordCandidateResponse> findCandidateAllBy(String name) {
+    public ResponseEntity<InputWordCandidateResponse> findCandidateAllBy(@RequestParam String name) {
         InputWordCandidateDto result = wordService.findCandidateAllBy(name);
 
         return ResponseEntity.ok(WordControllerMapper.to(result));
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/global/exception/ExceptionCode.java b/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/global/exception/ExceptionCode.java
index 12784ad..399a087 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/global/exception/ExceptionCode.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/global/exception/ExceptionCode.java
@@ -41,5 +41,6 @@ public enum ExceptionCode {
     QUIZ_NOT_FOUND,
     NOT_ENOUGH_QUESTIONS_FOR_CATEGORY,
     ACCOUNT_UNAUTHORIZED,
-    REPORT_NOT_FOUND
+    REPORT_NOT_FOUND,
+    CANDIDATE_NOT_FOUND
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/global/exception/ExceptionTranslator.java b/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/global/exception/ExceptionTranslator.java
index 3f87510..e075028 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/global/exception/ExceptionTranslator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/dnd/spaced/global/exception/ExceptionTranslator.java
@@ -202,6 +202,11 @@ public enum ExceptionTranslator {
             HttpStatus.NOT_FOUND,
             ExceptionCode.REPORT_NOT_FOUND,
             "해당 신고를 찾을 수 없습니다."
+    ),
+    CANDIDATE_NOT_FOUND_EXCEPTION(
+            HttpStatus.NOT_FOUND,
+            ExceptionCode.CANDIDATE_NOT_FOUND,
+            "일치하는 용어 이름 검색어 후보군이 없습니다."
     );
 
     private static final String PARAMETER_SEPARATOR = ", ";