Do we always need the before superlative adj?

Question

for example
He is the best.(without any noun after it)

Answer 1

No. The best illustration is the ask the question 'Which is [the] best?'

Also 'Best practice' and other uses. This may only apply particularly to 'best', not necessarily to all superlatives. e.g. 'This is a most useful piece of information.' I found it most useful.'

'The' implies uniqueness, so when used with 'best' it implies that there is only one choice. The alternative superlative, 'very good' is also used where uniqueness is not a criterion (one would rather rarely use 'most good', however, except where it was necessary to contrast good with bad: "Which of these questionable actions is the most good" would be acceptable in certain circumstances where one wished to imply that none of the actions could be considered wholly good but that some might be worse than others.)

Answer 2

according to the rules - yes.
but there r exceptions... don't remember them all, though. English is not my native language.
like,before "most" the can be ommitted( when the majority means)

e.g.Most birds can fly
Whom do you like most?

Answer 3

Of course...THE implies one and only.

Answer 4

yep