reluctant
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reluctantly
Describes an action that someone carries out with inner resistance, unwillingly, and only hesitantly because they do not actually want to do it.
Er gab nur widerwillig zu, dass er einen Fehler gemacht hatte.
He only reluctantly admitted that he had made a mistake.
The word is made up of the preposition 'wider' (against) and the noun 'Wille' (will). To do something 'widerwillig' (reluctantly) therefore means to do it 'against one's will'.
Sie hat die zusätzliche Arbeit nur widerwillig übernommen.
She only reluctantly took on the extra work.
'Widerwillig' (reluctantly) is very often used as an adverb to describe the manner of an action. It then usually stands directly next to the verb.
Der Junge räumte widerwillig sein Zimmer auf.
The boy reluctantly tidied up his room.
Common verbs combined with 'widerwillig' (reluctantly) express some form of agreement or action, for example 'zugeben' (to admit), 'zustimmen' (to agree), 'akzeptieren' (to accept), or 'mitmachen' (to join in/participate).
Er stimmte dem Plan nur widerwillig zu.
He only reluctantly agreed to the plan.
gladly / like to
'gern' and 'widerwillig' are clear opposites. 'gern' means that someone does something with pleasure or because they want to. 'widerwillig' means that someone does something only with inner resistance and does not actually want to. 'widerwillig' is stronger than 'ungern' because it often also shows hesitation or refusal. If someone does something with a positive attitude, 'gern' fits. If someone only does it because it is necessary or because someone is putting pressure on them, 'widerwillig' fits.
Paul gab widerwillig zu, dass er den Fehler gemacht hatte.
Paul reluctantly admitted that he had made the mistake.
Im Sommer besucht die Klasse gern das kleine Museum am Fluss.
In summer, the class likes to visit the small museum by the river.