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What Does Bogart Mean in Slang and How It Got That Way
Bogart means to hog something shared (like a joint or nachos). Discover the origins of Humphrey Bogart and the connection to Easy Rider.
Written by Brandon Topp
December 12th, 2025
Bogart means to hog something shared instead of passing it along. In cannabis culture, it's holding the joint too long while talking, taking more than your turn, or letting it burn without passing.
But it's not just about weed. You can bogart nachos at a party, monopolize the game controller, or even bogart your way into an elevator line. Understanding these 420-friendly cultural terms helps you navigate social situations with confidence.
The term comes from Humphrey Bogart's signature dangling cigarette in classic films and got locked into mainstream vocabulary through Easy Rider's 1969 soundtrack.
By the end of this guide, you'll know exactly what it means, where it came from, and how to use it naturally in conversation.
Table of Contents
What Bogart Actually Means
Beyond the Joint: Where Bogart Really Applies
Why It's Called Bogart
How Easy Rider Made It Stick
How Not to Bogart in a Circle
Modern Formats That Avoid Bogarting
Bogart vs Boggart vs Bogging
Using Bogart in a Sentence
Why We Still Say Don't Bogart
What Bogart Actually Means
Bogart has two main senses, though one dominates modern usage.
The primary meaning is to selfishly keep, or hog something shared, like holding a joint during a long story instead of passing it. The secondary meaning, less common today, is to bully or force someone into something.
You'll encounter the term in various forms: "he bogarted the remote," "stop bogarting," or "don't be a bogart about it." The word works as both a verb and occasionally as a noun, referring to someone who hogs shared resources.
The scope extends far beyond cannabis. While the term gained popularity in weed culture, it applies to any situation where someone monopolizes a shared resource instead of being considerate about passing it along.
Whether you're sharing cannabis flower or passing snacks at a party, the principle remains the same.
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Beyond the Joint: Where Bogart Really Applies
The biggest confusion about "bogart" is thinking it only applies to smoking. It doesn't.
You can bogart the nachos by keeping the bowl in front of you at a party. Someone bogarts the game controller by refusing to hand it over after their turn.
People bogart their way into elevator lines by pushing ahead without waiting for their turn. You can even bogart THC gummies by not offering them to friends.
The cannabis connection is where the term got famous, but the underlying behavior is universal. Selfishly hogging shared stuff is what makes the word stick. That's why the word stuck around even as consumption methods evolved.
Why It's Called Bogart
The term traces directly to actor Humphrey Bogart's signature style in the 1940s and 1950s films. Bogart famously let cigarettes dangle from his lips without actively smoking them, creating a visual of someone holding without sharing or consuming.
That hanging-cigarette image became so iconic that his last name turned into a verb. When you hold a joint while talking instead of smoking or passing, you're essentially doing what Bogart did on screen. You're keeping it to yourself.
The secondary "bully" sense comes from Bogart's tough-guy roles in films like The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca. His characters often strong-armed their way through situations, which gave "Bogart" that additional meaning of forcing or intimidating.
The Oxford English Dictionary documents the term appearing in 1960s tobacco and drug contexts, particularly in African American English. Linguists note the surname Bogart actually comes from Dutch "Bogaert," meaning orchard, which has nothing to do with the slang meaning or similar-sounding words like "boggart."
How To Roll a Joint | By Mood
How Easy Rider Made It Stick
Easy Rider's 1969 soundtrack featured "Don't Bogart Me" by Fraternity of Man, and that's the moment the term locked into mainstream consciousness. The song's chorus became instantly recognizable: "Don't bogart that joint, my friend." This cemented the cannabis connection permanently.
The song itself has a great origin story. According to band members, someone said "don't bogart that thing" during a session, and the phrase was so perfect they built a song around it. The line captured exactly what everyone in a smoke circle had experienced but never had the perfect word for.
Easy Rider brought counterculture language into mainstream America, and "bogart" rode that wave. The term shows up everywhere from Eminem lyrics ("I bogarted the game") to everyday conversations about hogging shared resources.
We actually feature this track in our 420 songs collection. It's one of those essential group session anthems that everyone needs to hear at least once. The song perfectly captures the etiquette of sharing and the humor in calling out someone who's hogging the joint.
How Not to Bogart in a Circle
Understanding what counts as bogarting helps you avoid being that person in a group setting. The classic violations are pretty straightforward.
Holding While Talking
This is the cardinal sin. You get the joint, start telling a story, and forget you're holding it while everyone waits. The "puff, puff, pass" rule exists specifically to prevent this. Take your two hits and pass them along, no matter how good your story is.
Taking Multiple Hits
The standard is two hits before passing. Taking three, four, or five hits without passing is textbook bogarting. You're eating into everyone else's rotation time.
Letting It Burn
Holding the joint without actively smoking it wastes product and makes everyone wait. If you're not hitting it, pass it immediately.
These rules mattered most in traditional smoke circles where one joint rotated through the group. Modern consumption has shifted significantly. Individual vapes, personal pre-rolls, and THC drinks have changed sharing dynamics entirely, especially post-pandemic, when passing anything mouth-to-mouth became considerably less appealing.
Check out our guides on fun things to do while high and different ways to smoke weed for more ideas on modern group consumption.
The core principle remains the same even as formats evolve: be considerate about shared resources and don't monopolize the experience.
Modern Formats That Avoid Bogarting
Here's where cannabis products have actually solved the problem that made "bogart" necessary in the first place. Individual-consumption formats eliminate the sharing friction entirely.
Pre-Roll Sample Packs
Everyone gets their own pre-roll, so there's nothing to pass and no opportunity to bogart. The joints don't go out between hits, there's no canoeing issue from inconsistent smoking, and everyone controls their own experience.
Our pre-rolls collection includes options for every mood and occasion, making group sessions straightforward and enjoyable.
Individual Vapes
Disposable vapes give each person their own device with a rapid onset. No waiting for rotation, no hygiene concerns, and everyone can control their intake precisely.
Browse our full vapes selection for options that work perfectly for social settings where you want to enjoy together without the passing ritual.
THC Drinks
Cannabis beverages might be the ultimate anti-bogarting format. Everyone gets their own can, onset timing syncs up nicely for group experiences, and there's zero sharing required.
Check out our THC beverages collection to find the perfect drinks for your next gathering. Each person gets their own beverage and controls their exact experience.
These modern formats maintain the communal aspect of enjoying cannabis together while eliminating the etiquette issues that made bogarting such a common violation.
You're still sharing the experience. You're just not sharing the actual product.
Explore our Social mood products specifically curated for group enjoyment, or learn more about 420-friendly activities for your next hang.
Bogart vs Boggart vs Bogging
These similar-sounding words cause confusion, so let's clear it up quickly. Bogart means to hog or monopolize something shared. In its less common secondary sense, it means to bully or intimidate.
Boggart is completely unrelated. It's a shapeshifting creature from Harry Potter that takes the form of whatever you fear most. No connection to hogging or sharing.
Bogging is Scottish slang meaning disgusting or foul, as in "that's pure bogging." Again, no relationship to Bogart despite the similar spelling.
Synonyms for the primary "hogging" sense of bogart include monopolize, hog, and keep to oneself. For the secondary "bullying" sense, you might use strong-arm, intimidate, or bully.
However, this usage is increasingly rare.
Using Bogart in a Sentence
Here's how the term works in natural conversation across different contexts. For more cannabis slang and terminology, check out our guide to 100+ names for pot and smoking cannabis.
"Don't bogart the snacks. Pass them down the couch."
"He totally bogarted his way to the front of the line at the concert."
"Stop bogarting that vape and let someone else have a turn."
"She's been bogarting the aux cord all night with her playlist."
The conjugations work smoothly in everyday English: bogart (present), bogarted (past), bogarting (continuous).
The term feels casual and friendly when used to call out sharing violations without being harsh about it.
Why We Still Say Don't Bogart
The term survived because the underlying behavior it describes is timeless and universally annoying. Hogging shared stuff has frustrated people forever. "Bogart" just gave us the perfect word for it.
Consumption patterns have shifted dramatically from the pass-around culture of the 1960s and 70s. Most people now use individual devices, personal products, and formats that don't require sharing.
Yet we still use "bogart" because the core concept applies everywhere, from bathroom monopolizing to conversation dominating.
The word stuck because it's specific enough to be useful but broad enough to apply universally. You can bogart anything shared, which means the term works in countless situations beyond its cannabis origins.
Now you can spot bogarting behavior, avoid doing it yourself, and choose consumption formats that prevent the issue entirely.
Whether you're learning how to smoke a bowl, mastering pre-roll techniques, or exploring our full product selection, you've got the cultural knowledge and practical options to share responsibly.
