diff --git a/app/define_word.py b/app/define_word.py
index 5e1ae641..4cfc07d6 100755
--- a/app/define_word.py
+++ b/app/define_word.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def get_definition(word):
     """
     try:
         definition = requests.get(
-            "https://api.urbandictionary.com/v0/define?term={}".format("%20".join(word))
+            "https://api.urbandictionary.com/v0/define?term={}".format(word)
         ).json()["list"]
         # UD returns all the results in a json blob. Calculate which result has the highest upvotes to downvotes ratio
         # as this is the result that shows up at the top on urbandictionary.com
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def get_definition(word):
             definition = "No definition found"
 
     embed = discord.Embed(
-        description="%s:\n%s" % (" ".join(word), definition),
+        description="%s:\n%s" % (word, definition),
         color=0x428BCA,
         type="rich",
     )