Is it bad to keep resetting a breaker that keeps tripping?

Yes, repeatedly resetting a circuit breaker that continuously trips without first identifying and resolving the underlying electrical fault is extremely dangerous and harmful to your electrical system. A breaker trips for a protective reason, such as an overload, short circuit, or ground fault, indicating excessive current or a wiring failure. Every time you force the breaker back to the "on" position while the fault remains active, you subject the internal thermal-magnetic mechanisms and circuit wiring to continuous electrical arcing, severe thermal stress, and accelerated wear. This repetitive thermal cycling can degrade the breaker's internal components, pit the contact points, and damage wire insulation behind the walls, which significantly increases the risk of an electrical fire or permanent equipment failure. You can troubleshoot electrical risks safely by leaving the breaker off and inspecting connected appliances. You can verify that your corrective action is successful when locating the shorted device, repairing the fault, and resetting the breaker so that it stays engaged permanently under normal operating loads confirms the problem is resolved.