diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/output_tests/cohorts/doc.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/output_tests/cohorts/doc.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..82482784f49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/output_tests/cohorts/doc.go
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2025 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+// +k8s:validation-gen=TypeMeta
+// +k8s:validation-gen-scheme-registry=k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/testscheme.Scheme
+// +k8s:validation-gen-test-fixture=validateFalse
+
+// This is a test package.
+package cohorts
+
+import "k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/testscheme"
+
+var localSchemeBuilder = testscheme.New()
+
+// Note: the following are out of order on purpose.
+// They should be emitted as:
+//   - T {ShortCircuit,Regular}
+//   - T c2 {ShortCircuit,Regular}
+//   - T c1 {ShortCircuit,Regular}
+//
+// +k8s:validateFalse(cohort: "c2")="type T c2 Regular"
+// +k8s:validateFalse(cohort: "c1")="type T c1 Regular"
+// +k8s:validateFalse(cohort: "c1", flags: "ShortCircuit")="type T c1 ShortCircuit"
+// +k8s:validateFalse(cohort: "c2", flags: "ShortCircuit")="type T c2 ShortCircuit"
+// +k8s:validateFalse="type T Regular"
+// +k8s:validateFalse(flags: "ShortCircuit")="type T ShortCircuit"
+type T struct {
+	TypeMeta int
+
+	// Note: the following are out of order on purpose.
+	// They should be emitted as:
+	//   - T.S {ShortCircuit,Regular}
+	//   - T.S c2 {ShortCircuit,Regular}
+	//   - T.S c1 {ShortCircuit,Regular}
+	// +k8s:validateFalse(cohort: "c2")="field T.S c2 Regular"
+	// +k8s:validateFalse(cohort: "c1")="field T.S c1 Regular"
+	// +k8s:validateFalse(cohort: "c1", flags: "ShortCircuit")="field T.S c1 ShortCircuit"
+	// +k8s:validateFalse(cohort: "c2", flags: "ShortCircuit")="field T.S c2 ShortCircuit"
+	// +k8s:validateFalse="field T.S Regular"
+	// +k8s:validateFalse(flags: "ShortCircuit")="field T.S ShortCircuit"
+	S string `json:"s"`
+}
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/output_tests/cohorts/testdata/validate-false.json b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/output_tests/cohorts/testdata/validate-false.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ad04e399125
--- /dev/null
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/output_tests/cohorts/testdata/validate-false.json
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+  "*cohorts.T": {
+    "": [
+      "type T ShortCircuit"
+    ]
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/output_tests/cohorts/zz_generated.validations.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/output_tests/cohorts/zz_generated.validations.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..04c5b27a016
--- /dev/null
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/output_tests/cohorts/zz_generated.validations.go
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+//go:build !ignore_autogenerated
+// +build !ignore_autogenerated
+
+/*
+Copyright The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+// Code generated by validation-gen. DO NOT EDIT.
+
+package cohorts
+
+import (
+	context "context"
+	fmt "fmt"
+
+	operation "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/operation"
+	safe "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/safe"
+	validate "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/validate"
+	field "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/validation/field"
+	testscheme "k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/testscheme"
+)
+
+func init() { localSchemeBuilder.Register(RegisterValidations) }
+
+// RegisterValidations adds validation functions to the given scheme.
+// Public to allow building arbitrary schemes.
+func RegisterValidations(scheme *testscheme.Scheme) error {
+	// type T
+	scheme.AddValidationFunc((*T)(nil), func(ctx context.Context, op operation.Operation, obj, oldObj interface{}) field.ErrorList {
+		switch op.Request.SubresourcePath() {
+		case "/":
+			return Validate_T(ctx, op, nil /* fldPath */, obj.(*T), safe.Cast[*T](oldObj))
+		}
+		return field.ErrorList{field.InternalError(nil, fmt.Errorf("no validation found for %T, subresource: %v", obj, op.Request.SubresourcePath()))}
+	})
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Validate_T validates an instance of T according
+// to declarative validation rules in the API schema.
+func Validate_T(ctx context.Context, op operation.Operation, fldPath *field.Path, obj, oldObj *T) (errs field.ErrorList) {
+	if e := validate.FixedResult(ctx, op, fldPath, obj, oldObj, false, "type T ShortCircuit"); len(e) != 0 {
+		errs = append(errs, e...)
+		return // do not proceed
+	}
+	errs = append(errs, validate.FixedResult(ctx, op, fldPath, obj, oldObj, false, "type T Regular")...)
+	func() { // cohort c2
+		if e := validate.FixedResult(ctx, op, fldPath, obj, oldObj, false, "type T c2 ShortCircuit"); len(e) != 0 {
+			errs = append(errs, e...)
+			return // do not proceed
+		}
+		errs = append(errs, validate.FixedResult(ctx, op, fldPath, obj, oldObj, false, "type T c2 Regular")...)
+	}()
+	func() { // cohort c1
+		if e := validate.FixedResult(ctx, op, fldPath, obj, oldObj, false, "type T c1 ShortCircuit"); len(e) != 0 {
+			errs = append(errs, e...)
+			return // do not proceed
+		}
+		errs = append(errs, validate.FixedResult(ctx, op, fldPath, obj, oldObj, false, "type T c1 Regular")...)
+	}()
+
+	// field T.TypeMeta has no validation
+
+	// field T.S
+	errs = append(errs,
+		func(fldPath *field.Path, obj, oldObj *string) (errs field.ErrorList) {
+			// don't revalidate unchanged data
+			if op.Type == operation.Update && (obj == oldObj || (obj != nil && oldObj != nil && *obj == *oldObj)) {
+				return nil
+			}
+			// call field-attached validations
+			if e := validate.FixedResult(ctx, op, fldPath, obj, oldObj, false, "field T.S ShortCircuit"); len(e) != 0 {
+				errs = append(errs, e...)
+				return // do not proceed
+			}
+			errs = append(errs, validate.FixedResult(ctx, op, fldPath, obj, oldObj, false, "field T.S Regular")...)
+			func() { // cohort c2
+				if e := validate.FixedResult(ctx, op, fldPath, obj, oldObj, false, "field T.S c2 ShortCircuit"); len(e) != 0 {
+					errs = append(errs, e...)
+					return // do not proceed
+				}
+				errs = append(errs, validate.FixedResult(ctx, op, fldPath, obj, oldObj, false, "field T.S c2 Regular")...)
+			}()
+			func() { // cohort c1
+				if e := validate.FixedResult(ctx, op, fldPath, obj, oldObj, false, "field T.S c1 ShortCircuit"); len(e) != 0 {
+					errs = append(errs, e...)
+					return // do not proceed
+				}
+				errs = append(errs, validate.FixedResult(ctx, op, fldPath, obj, oldObj, false, "field T.S c1 Regular")...)
+			}()
+			return
+		}(fldPath.Child("s"), &obj.S, safe.Field(oldObj, func(oldObj *T) *string { return &oldObj.S }))...)
+
+	return errs
+}
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/output_tests/cohorts/zz_generated.validations_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/output_tests/cohorts/zz_generated.validations_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e9214fd3eb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/output_tests/cohorts/zz_generated.validations_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+//go:build !ignore_autogenerated
+// +build !ignore_autogenerated
+
+/*
+Copyright The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+// Code generated by validation-gen. DO NOT EDIT.
+
+package cohorts
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestValidation(t *testing.T) {
+	localSchemeBuilder.Test(t).ValidateFixtures()
+}
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/validation.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/validation.go
index b327438bb53..2d47bf2c2eb 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/validation.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/validation.go
@@ -1280,12 +1280,138 @@ func emitRatchetingCheck(c *generator.Context, t *types.Type, sw *generator.Snip
 // variables named "obj" and "oldObj", and the field path to this value is
 // named "fldPath".
 func emitCallsToValidators(c *generator.Context, validations []validators.FunctionGen, sw *generator.SnippetWriter) {
-	// Helper func
-	sort := func(in []validators.FunctionGen) []validators.FunctionGen {
-		sooner := make([]validators.FunctionGen, 0, len(in))
-		later := make([]validators.FunctionGen, 0, len(in))
+	// Group and sort the inputs.
+	cohorts := sortIntoCohorts(validations)
 
-		for _, fg := range in {
+	for _, validations := range cohorts {
+		cohortName := validations[0].Cohort
+		if cohortName != "" {
+			sw.Do("func() { // cohort $.$\n", cohortName)
+		}
+		for _, v := range validations {
+			isShortCircuit := v.Flags.IsSet(validators.ShortCircuit)
+			isNonError := v.Flags.IsSet(validators.NonError)
+
+			targs := generator.Args{
+				"funcName": c.Universe.Type(v.Function),
+				"field":    mkSymbolArgs(c, fieldPkgSymbols),
+			}
+
+			emitCall := func() {
+				sw.Do("$.funcName|raw$", targs)
+				if typeArgs := v.TypeArgs; len(typeArgs) > 0 {
+					sw.Do("[", nil)
+					for i, typeArg := range typeArgs {
+						sw.Do("$.|raw$", c.Universe.Type(typeArg))
+						if i < len(typeArgs)-1 {
+							sw.Do(",", nil)
+						}
+					}
+					sw.Do("]", nil)
+				}
+				sw.Do("(ctx, op, fldPath, obj, oldObj", targs)
+				for _, arg := range v.Args {
+					sw.Do(", ", nil)
+					toGolangSourceDataLiteral(sw, c, arg)
+				}
+				sw.Do(")", targs)
+			}
+
+			// If validation is conditional, wrap the validation function with a conditions check.
+			if !v.Conditions.Empty() {
+				emitBaseFunction := emitCall
+				emitCall = func() {
+					sw.Do("func() $.field.ErrorList|raw$ {\n", targs)
+					sw.Do("  if ", nil)
+					firstCondition := true
+					if len(v.Conditions.OptionEnabled) > 0 {
+						sw.Do("op.HasOption($.$)", strconv.Quote(v.Conditions.OptionEnabled))
+						firstCondition = false
+					}
+					if len(v.Conditions.OptionDisabled) > 0 {
+						if !firstCondition {
+							sw.Do(" && ", nil)
+						}
+						sw.Do("!op.HasOption($.$)", strconv.Quote(v.Conditions.OptionDisabled))
+					}
+					sw.Do(" {\n", nil)
+					sw.Do("    return ", nil)
+					emitBaseFunction()
+					sw.Do("\n", nil)
+					sw.Do("  } else {\n", nil)
+					sw.Do("    return nil // skip validation\n", nil)
+					sw.Do("  }\n", nil)
+					sw.Do("}()", nil)
+				}
+			}
+
+			for _, comment := range v.Comments {
+				sw.Do("// $.$\n", comment)
+			}
+			if isShortCircuit {
+				sw.Do("if e := ", nil)
+				emitCall()
+				sw.Do("; len(e) != 0 {\n", nil)
+				if !isNonError {
+					sw.Do("errs = append(errs, e...)\n", nil)
+				}
+				sw.Do("    return // do not proceed\n", nil)
+				sw.Do("}\n", nil)
+			} else {
+				if isNonError {
+					emitCall()
+				} else {
+					sw.Do("errs = append(errs, ", nil)
+					emitCall()
+					sw.Do("...)\n", nil)
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		if cohortName != "" {
+			sw.Do("}()\n", nil)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// sortIntoCohorts groups the inputs into a list of cohorts. Within each
+// cohort, function calls are sorted such that short-circuiting function
+// calls are handled before others. The first cohort is always the
+// default cohort (named "") if it exists. Other cohorts are returned in
+// the order they were defined in the input.
+func sortIntoCohorts(in []validators.FunctionGen) [][]validators.FunctionGen {
+	defaultCohort := make([]validators.FunctionGen, 0, len(in))
+	namedCohorts := map[string][]validators.FunctionGen{}
+	idx := make([]string, 0, len(in))
+	for _, fg := range in {
+		key := fg.Cohort
+		if key == "" {
+			defaultCohort = append(defaultCohort, fg)
+		} else {
+			if !slices.Contains(idx, key) {
+				idx = append(idx, key)
+			}
+			namedCohorts[key] = append(namedCohorts[key], fg)
+		}
+	}
+	if len(defaultCohort) > 0 {
+		idx = append([]string{""}, idx...)
+	}
+	// NOTE: we do not sort cohorts by name, because we want to preserve
+	// their definition order.
+
+	result := make([][]validators.FunctionGen, 0, len(in))
+	for _, key := range idx {
+		var cohort []validators.FunctionGen
+		if key == "" {
+			cohort = defaultCohort
+		} else {
+			cohort = namedCohorts[key]
+		}
+
+		sooner := make([]validators.FunctionGen, 0, len(cohort))
+		later := make([]validators.FunctionGen, 0, len(cohort))
+
+		for _, fg := range cohort {
 			isShortCircuit := (fg.Flags.IsSet(validators.ShortCircuit))
 
 			if isShortCircuit {
@@ -1294,92 +1420,11 @@ func emitCallsToValidators(c *generator.Context, validations []validators.Functi
 				later = append(later, fg)
 			}
 		}
-		result := sooner
-		result = append(result, later...)
-		return result
-	}
-
-	validations = sort(validations)
-
-	for _, v := range validations {
-		isShortCircuit := v.Flags.IsSet(validators.ShortCircuit)
-		isNonError := v.Flags.IsSet(validators.NonError)
-
-		targs := generator.Args{
-			"funcName": c.Universe.Type(v.Function),
-			"field":    mkSymbolArgs(c, fieldPkgSymbols),
-		}
-
-		emitCall := func() {
-			sw.Do("$.funcName|raw$", targs)
-			if typeArgs := v.TypeArgs; len(typeArgs) > 0 {
-				sw.Do("[", nil)
-				for i, typeArg := range typeArgs {
-					sw.Do("$.|raw$", c.Universe.Type(typeArg))
-					if i < len(typeArgs)-1 {
-						sw.Do(",", nil)
-					}
-				}
-				sw.Do("]", nil)
-			}
-			sw.Do("(ctx, op, fldPath, obj, oldObj", targs)
-			for _, arg := range v.Args {
-				sw.Do(", ", nil)
-				toGolangSourceDataLiteral(sw, c, arg)
-			}
-			sw.Do(")", targs)
-		}
-
-		// If validation is conditional, wrap the validation function with a conditions check.
-		if !v.Conditions.Empty() {
-			emitBaseFunction := emitCall
-			emitCall = func() {
-				sw.Do("func() $.field.ErrorList|raw$ {\n", targs)
-				sw.Do("  if ", nil)
-				firstCondition := true
-				if len(v.Conditions.OptionEnabled) > 0 {
-					sw.Do("op.HasOption($.$)", strconv.Quote(v.Conditions.OptionEnabled))
-					firstCondition = false
-				}
-				if len(v.Conditions.OptionDisabled) > 0 {
-					if !firstCondition {
-						sw.Do(" && ", nil)
-					}
-					sw.Do("!op.HasOption($.$)", strconv.Quote(v.Conditions.OptionDisabled))
-				}
-				sw.Do(" {\n", nil)
-				sw.Do("    return ", nil)
-				emitBaseFunction()
-				sw.Do("\n", nil)
-				sw.Do("  } else {\n", nil)
-				sw.Do("    return nil // skip validation\n", nil)
-				sw.Do("  }\n", nil)
-				sw.Do("}()", nil)
-			}
-		}
-
-		for _, comment := range v.Comments {
-			sw.Do("// $.$\n", comment)
-		}
-		if isShortCircuit {
-			sw.Do("if e := ", nil)
-			emitCall()
-			sw.Do("; len(e) != 0 {\n", nil)
-			if !isNonError {
-				sw.Do("errs = append(errs, e...)\n", nil)
-			}
-			sw.Do("    return // do not proceed\n", nil)
-			sw.Do("}\n", nil)
-		} else {
-			if isNonError {
-				emitCall()
-			} else {
-				sw.Do("errs = append(errs, ", nil)
-				emitCall()
-				sw.Do("...)\n", nil)
-			}
-		}
+		sorted := sooner
+		sorted = append(sorted, later...)
+		result = append(result, sorted)
 	}
+	return result
 }
 
 func emitComments(comments []string, sw *generator.SnippetWriter) {
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/validation_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/validation_test.go
index 5debd0856e8..5d53a9309a9 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/validation_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/validation_test.go
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@ limitations under the License.
 package main
 
 import (
+	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 
+	"k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/validators"
 	"k8s.io/gengo/v2/types"
 )
 
@@ -366,3 +368,111 @@ func TestGetLeafTypeAndPrefixes(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestSortIntoCohorts(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		in       []validators.FunctionGen
+		expected [][]validators.FunctionGen
+	}{{
+		// empty
+		in:       []validators.FunctionGen{},
+		expected: [][]validators.FunctionGen{},
+	}, {
+		// default cohort
+		in: []validators.FunctionGen{
+			{TagName: "a", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "b", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "c", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+		},
+		expected: [][]validators.FunctionGen{{
+			{TagName: "a", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "b", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "c", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+		}},
+	}, {
+		// default cohort, not already sorted by name
+		in: []validators.FunctionGen{
+			{TagName: "c", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "b", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "a", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+		},
+		expected: [][]validators.FunctionGen{{
+			{TagName: "c", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "b", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "a", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+		}},
+	}, {
+		// default cohort, with a short-circuit
+		in: []validators.FunctionGen{
+			{TagName: "a", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "b", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.ShortCircuit},
+			{TagName: "c", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+		},
+		expected: [][]validators.FunctionGen{{
+			{TagName: "b", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.ShortCircuit},
+			{TagName: "a", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "c", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+		}},
+	}, {
+		// default cohort, with 2 short-circuits
+		in: []validators.FunctionGen{
+			{TagName: "a", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "b", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.ShortCircuit},
+			{TagName: "c", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "d", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.ShortCircuit},
+		},
+		expected: [][]validators.FunctionGen{{
+			{TagName: "b", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.ShortCircuit},
+			{TagName: "d", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.ShortCircuit},
+			{TagName: "a", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "c", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+		}},
+	}, {
+		// default and non-default cohorts
+		in: []validators.FunctionGen{
+			{TagName: "a", Cohort: "foo", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "b", Cohort: "bar", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "c", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "d", Cohort: "foo", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "e", Cohort: "bar", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "f", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+		},
+		expected: [][]validators.FunctionGen{{
+			{TagName: "c", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "f", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+		}, {
+			{TagName: "a", Cohort: "foo", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "d", Cohort: "foo", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+		}, {
+			{TagName: "b", Cohort: "bar", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "e", Cohort: "bar", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+		}},
+	}, {
+		// default and non-default cohorts with short-circuit
+		in: []validators.FunctionGen{
+			{TagName: "a", Cohort: "foo", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "b", Cohort: "bar", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "c", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+			{TagName: "d", Cohort: "foo", Flags: validators.ShortCircuit},
+			{TagName: "e", Cohort: "bar", Flags: validators.ShortCircuit},
+			{TagName: "f", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.ShortCircuit},
+		},
+		expected: [][]validators.FunctionGen{{
+			{TagName: "f", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.ShortCircuit},
+			{TagName: "c", Cohort: "", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+		}, {
+			{TagName: "d", Cohort: "foo", Flags: validators.ShortCircuit},
+			{TagName: "a", Cohort: "foo", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+		}, {
+			{TagName: "e", Cohort: "bar", Flags: validators.ShortCircuit},
+			{TagName: "b", Cohort: "bar", Flags: validators.DefaultFlags},
+		}},
+	}}
+
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		out := sortIntoCohorts(tc.in)
+		if !reflect.DeepEqual(out, tc.expected) {
+			t.Errorf("expected %v, got %v", tc.expected, out)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/validators/testing.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/validators/testing.go
index 99679abb7d8..fc9dafd705a 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/validators/testing.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/validators/testing.go
@@ -73,7 +73,9 @@ func (frtv fixedResultTagValidator) GetValidations(context Context, tag codetags
 	if err != nil {
 		return result, fmt.Errorf("can't decode tag payload: %w", err)
 	}
-	result.AddFunction(Function(frtv.TagName(), args.flags, fixedResultValidator, frtv.result, args.msg).WithTypeArgs(args.typeArgs...))
+	fn := Function(frtv.TagName(), args.flags, fixedResultValidator, frtv.result, args.msg).WithTypeArgs(args.typeArgs...)
+	fn.Cohort = args.cohort
+	result.AddFunction(fn)
 
 	return result, nil
 }
@@ -86,6 +88,7 @@ type fixedResultArgs struct {
 	flags    FunctionFlags
 	msg      string
 	typeArgs []types.Name
+	cohort   string
 }
 
 func (fixedResultTagValidator) toFixedResultArgs(in codetags.Tag) (fixedResultArgs, error) {
@@ -111,6 +114,8 @@ func (fixedResultTagValidator) toFixedResultArgs(in codetags.Tag) (fixedResultAr
 				}
 				result.typeArgs = []types.Name{{Package: "", Name: tn}}
 			}
+		case "cohort":
+			result.cohort = a.Value
 		}
 	}
 	if in.ValueType == codetags.ValueTypeString {
@@ -149,6 +154,11 @@ func (frtv fixedResultTagValidator) Docs() TagDoc {
 			Description: "<string>",
 			Docs:        "The type arg in generated code (must be the value-type, not pointer).",
 			Type:        codetags.ArgTypeString,
+		}, {
+			Name:        "cohort",
+			Description: "<string>",
+			Docs:        "An optional cohort name to group multiple validations.",
+			Type:        codetags.ArgTypeString,
 		}}
 		if frtv.result {
 			doc.Description = "Always passes validation (useful for testing)."
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/validators/validators.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/validators/validators.go
index 40e3adc3cb4..a9f488259cf 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/validators/validators.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/code-generator/cmd/validation-gen/validators/validators.go
@@ -445,6 +445,10 @@ type FunctionGen struct {
 	// TagName is the tag which triggered this function.
 	TagName string
 
+	// Cohort indicates a set of related functions which are processed
+	// together.
+	Cohort string
+
 	// Flags holds the options for this validator function.
 	Flags FunctionFlags